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PATTERSON

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CHENETTE

SACO — Republican candidate Carol Patterson is challenging incumbent Democrat Justin Chenette to be the state representative in House District 15.

Ӣ Chenette, 23, is president of Chenette Media and director of communications for the Saco Drive-In. Chenette served in 2008-09 as a student member of the State Board of Education. He was elected to the Legislature in 2012.

Chenette said he believes the state needs to expand the employment Tax Increment Financing program to include “micro-businesses.” The program currently provides incentives to those who hire five or more employees over a two-year period. Chenette said this has been an effective program, but not all businesses can employ five people. He said if a business downtown employs even one new person, that is one family that is impacted.

Chenette said high school students need to have internships so they can learn “real-life skill sets,” gain job experience, get more invested in their community and be empowered to stay in school. As well, he said he believes the Opportunity Maine program, which provides incentives for graduates of Maine colleges to stay in Maine after completion of college, needs to be expanded.

Chenette said he believes the wealthiest people in the state should pay the same in taxes as the middle class.

“It just doesn’t make sense to me that middle-class families shoulder most of the burden,” he said. “It’s counter-productive to give money we don’t have to people who don’t need it.”

Chenette said the state needs to fund education at 55 percent, which it hasn’t done, even though it was mandated by voters.

”¢ Patterson, 67, is married with three adult children. She is a retired school secretary and also worked as an administrative assistant for Purdy Powers and Company. She describes herself as “a farm wife,” doing a variety of tasks ranging from milking cows to bookkeeping at her family’s farm, Spring and Brook Farm.

Patterson has served as a ward clerk in Saco and is the current chairwoman of the Saco Republican Committee.

She said the state needs to cut back on regulations to make it easier for businesses to succeed in Maine, and to offer more incentives. There is a lack of skilled workers in Maine, she said, and young people need to learn skills such as bookkeeping and manufacturing skills.

“Not everyone has to be a college graduate,” said Patterson. “We missed the boat by not having kids learn the basics.”

Patterson said if the state is making mandates on municipalities, it should pay for them, and not put the burden on towns. She believes the state should run like a household budget, she said: “If I can’t afford it, I won’t pay for it.”

Patterson said she is frustrated with the bickering that goes on ”“ from Washington to the small towns.

“We need to work together,” she said. “We need to find a common ground in this state.”

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.