Brad Farrin

Unenrolled

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 111
Age: 52
Occupation: Facilities Manager for MiltonCAT and retired CMSGT from the USAf and Maine Air National Guard
Education: Skowhegan Area High School
Family: My partner Lynn Boucher and I have 4 daughters ( Danielle, Lauren, Haley & Emily) and our grandson Landen
Hometown: Norridgewock

Political experience

Serving in the 127th Legislature representing the citizens of Norridgewock, Madison and Solon.

Why are you running for office?

I want to continue fighting for the residents of Norridgewock, Madison & Solon. While we had some wins for our Veterans and members of our Maine Army & Air National Guard, there is still work to be done. Spending in Augusta is still too high, we need more educational and job opportunities for our youth, there is still work to be done on welfare reform, high energy costs hurt business and homeowners and we have to live up to the promises made to our seniors.

• Income Tax: Gov. LePage would like to lower Maine’s income tax rate and eventually eliminate it, by increasing the state’s sales tax and expanding it across a broader range of goods and services. Do you support this proposal?
  • Yes

    I fully support reducing and even eliminating the income tax. We should let people keep as much of their hard-earned money as we can. Every dollar you send to Augusta, is a dollar that someone will find a way to spend. I believe the people of Maine are better equipped to spend their money than the politicians in Augusta. However, we must be cautious that we are not simply implementing a tax shift and moving the tax burden on to property tax payers. I believe there is a way to significantly lower the income tax by reducing the size and cost of state government. Maine doesn’t have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem.

• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • No

    The Maine Constitution says: “Every citizen has the right to keep and bear arms for the common defense and that right shall never be questioned.” That’s seems pretty straightforward to me. This question is nothing more than wealthy, out of state special interests trying to buy public policy in Maine by stripping away our gun rights and making criminals out law abiding Maine sportsmen. It’s no different than the bear baiting referendum. We already mandate background checks for firearm purchases in gun stores where those selling firearms must be a federally licensed gun dealer. This would put a law on the books that wouldn’t allow me to sell an old hunting rifle to a friend without the two of us going through a federal background check. This also opens the door for a federal database that would house the names and addresses of every Mainer who owns a firearm. Question 3 is the textbook definition of government overreach and a solution in search of a problem.

• Minimum Wage:
  In light of the ballot question facing voters this fall, do you support raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.50 to $12 an hour by 2020?
  
  • No

    I do not support the drastic raise in the minimum wage proposed in Question 4 as I believe the unintended consequences could be disastrous for our young people, the elderly and restaurant workers. With restrictions and regulations already in place, Maine makes it difficult enough for teenagers to get and keep a job. Employers are not going to pay a teenager $12/hour. The unemployment rate among those aged 16-19 in Maine is already at 14.5%. We should be encouraging our young adults to get a job, not making it more difficult. A minimum wage increase would also cause the prices for everyday items like milk and other groceries to skyrocket. The elderly and disabled among us who live on fixed incomes would struggle even more to make ends meet. Question 4 would also eliminate the tipped credit, essentially doing away with the practice of tipping and replacing it with a $12/hour wage instead. Restaurant owners can’t afford that and many of them would be forced to close their doors.

• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • Other

    I am not in favor of legalizing marijuana for recreational use at this time. I just don’t think Maine is ready for the extra burden this places on law enforcement and the employers out there. We are starting to see some significant issues pop up in Colorado where they voted to legalize marijuana and I don’t think this is the right time for Maine to go down this road.

• Addiction/Overdoses: Do you believe the state is doing enough in response to the rise in heroin/opiate addiction and overdoses? If not, what else should be done?
  • Last session I supported legislation that added 10 more drug agents to help in the fight to stop the trafficking of heroin flooding over our borders and winding up on the streets of our communities. We also added more than $2 million in additional funding for treatment and education. That is the right approach and we need to stay the course. The solution to this epidemic is like a 3-legged stool. More law enforcement, more treatment and more education are all essential pieces to this puzzle. We need to maintain a balanced approach.