Ryan Michael Fecteau

Democrat

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 11
Age: 24
Occupation: Communications & Marketing Coordinator
Education: The Catholic University of America
Hometown: Biddeford

Political experience

State Representative in 127th Legislature
Biddeford Charter Review Commission (2011)

Why are you running for office?

Representing our community in Augusta is an honor. As folks know, politics can be frustrating at times. However, I am seeking re-election, because I remain focused on finding ways to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to better our state. I am committed to seeing a bond referendum passed that would inject substantial investment into our career and technical education (CTE) centers (more commonly referred to as vocational education). A bond related to CTE education has not been considered by Maine voters since 1998.

I know more must be done to attract young people to live and work in Maine. I know more must be done to ensure taxes—especially property taxes—stop rising astronomically. I know more must be done to provide seniors with a comfortable retirement. I’m running for re-election to be the voice of our community in Augusta.

• 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?
  • No.
    Eliminating the income tax will have undue impact on middle class families in Maine.

    I have talked to a lot of folks in Biddeford and it’s rare that I hear anyone complain about the income tax. People in Biddeford are concerned about property taxes and the never ending rise. If Maine eliminated the income tax, the tax burden is shifted onto municipalities who have essentially one mechanism for generating significant revenue: property taxes.

    Maine seniors cannot afford even higher property taxes and neither can working class families. State government needs to focus on alleviating city and town reliance on property taxes to pay for necessary and integral expenses like education. We can do this with a tax code that ensures the wealthiest Mainers pay their fair share and by making the most of Maine’s tourism economy.

• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • Yes.
    It’s pretty simple. No one should be able to legally purchase a firearm without a background check. Will every tragedy be prevented? It’s not likely. However, if given the opportunity to reduce the potential for tragedy, Maine law concerning firearms ought to do so.
• 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?
  • Yes.
    I support increasing the minimum wage from $7.50 to $12 an hour by 2020. Approval of this ballot question will ultimately provide a wage increase to 40% of Maine’s workforce—a total of 158,000 employees. 60 percent of these workers are women and 85 percent are over the age of 20.

    I defer to my better—Catholic—senses on this issue. Fr. John Ryan, a theologian and fellow alum of my alma mater wrote in his dissertation “A Living Wage”, “On what ground is it contended that a worker has a right to a decent livelihood… The man who is not provided with the requisites of normal health, efficiency, and contentment lives a maimed life, not a reasonable life…Furthermore, man’s personal dignity demands not merely the conditions of reasonable physical existence, but the opportunity of pursuing self perfection through the harmonious development of all his faculties. …”.

• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • Yes.
    I support the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. With that being said, I believe, if this referendum passes in November, the burden shifts to lawmakers to ensure it is well regulated and tax revenue from it is used for purposes benefiting the public at-large (e.g., education, health care, and job creation).
• 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?
  • No.
    It is evident enough is not being done to combat heroin and opiate addiction in Maine. In fact, per a Portland Press Herald report, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) spent 6.6 percent less (roughly $4.5 million) on drug treatment and prevention in 2015 compared to 2014. It is negligent to spend less on this epidemic and furthermore careless to think solutions will not require the state’s investment. If we are going to get serious about this issue, DHHS needs to follow suit by using the resources that lawmakers allocate in the budget. And for the record, racial profiling of criminals who traffic these drugs gets us no closer to solving this epidemic.