District 19 includes Arrowsic, Bath, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Georgetown, Phippsburg, Richmond, Topsham, West Bath and Woolwich in Sagadahoc County and Dresden in Lincoln County.
“One of biggest things Maine can do to attract more jobs is to provide a top notch, competetive public education system and worker training programs,” said Goodall, who has served one term in the Maine Senate.
Pierce said he feels Maine must “train people for real-life jobs” to attract jobs, especially in manufacturing, to the state.
But the two candidates have different ideas about that preparation.
“We have a responsibility to fully support and strengthen public education so that every child can succeed, including investments in critical early-childhood programs that will ensure a successful start to their education,” Goodall said.
Pierce would focus on training at the high school level.
“Not everyone goes to college,” he said. “We need to encourage more vocational training.”
Citing statistics from the Maine Lobsterman’s Association and other organizations, Pierce said, “The average age of a lobsterman is 58, of a carpenter is 49, of a bridgeworker is 52. Who’s going to do these jobs in the future? Who’s going to fix this stuff when it breaks?”
“We did away with shop class in middle schools and told all these kids to go to college instead and now kids want to go to work at call centers, not construction sites,” Pierce said.
Regardless of where Maine’s future workforce chooses to build its career, Goodall said his focus is on creating and sustaining a quality public education system.
“We must do more to improve our underperforming schools so that, regardless of income or ZIP code, every child has the resources and tools needed to succeed. Our kids and public schools deserve our focus and investment,” Goodall said.
Goodall said other important issues include investments in economic security, small businesses, innovation and technology.
The importance of such investments is not lost on Pierce, whose feels the biggest issue facing the state is energy.
“Why is our economy stagnant in Maine? Our electricity rate is 15 cents a kilowatt and we’ve focused more on wind than on hydro. Hydro is renewable. I would like to see us encourage what we have for technology here. Rivers are what powered the Industrial Revolution,” Pierce said. “And Maine facilities should all be on natural gas. We should encourage natural gas pipelines throughout the state. It would cut our heating bill in approximately half. That would encourage manufacturing companies to come here.”
Once those companies get here, both Goodall and Pierce agree, Mainers are ready to work hard for the opportunity to be part of a state economy that allows people to support their families and pay their bills.
For Goodall, it’s the biggest issue facing Maine. “Too many people either don’t have a job or aren’t earning enough to make ends meet,” he said. “We must do more to grow and strengthen our economy.”
rshelly@timesrecord.com
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