BIDDEFORD — There’s officially less than a month until election day, and squaring off in the race for House District 11, which includes part of Biddeford, are incumbent Democrat Ryan Fecteau and Republican political newcomer Renee Morin.

Fecteau, 24, is a Biddeford native serving in the 127th state Legislature. A 2010 graduate of Biddeford High School and 2014 graduate of the Catholic University of America, he works as communications and marketing coordinator for Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Fecteau says he is again running for office to “get things done.” He built his 2014 platform on protecting taxpayers from scammers, citing a Portland Press Herald article exposing out-of-state investors scamming Maine taxpayers out of more than $34 million in tax credits.

At the time, “I took action and kept my promise,” he said. “I went to Augusta with a promise to protect taxpayers like you.”

Morin, however does not consider herself a politician. The 54- year-old wife and mother of three said she is motivated to run for House District 11 to bring leaders closer to the people they serve, and believes her life experience suits her best to do just that.

Morin, who holds a bachelor’s degree in leadership and organizational studies from the University of Southern Maine, has run the real estate appraisal business Uptown Appraising with her husband Robert since 2000.

“I have worked in many industries and seen business first-hand from every angle, including government and quasi-government, private and nonprofit as well as self-employment,” she said.

Morin has also completed an apprenticeship in shopfitting at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and is volunteer meals coordinator for the Saco Meals Program, which provides meals for those in need in the Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach communities.

Both candidates say they are concerned with Maine’s loss of a young, skilled workforce and an aging population.

For Morin, the answer is strengthening elementary through secondary education to bolster Maine’s economy.

“I believe many issues we face today can be tackled with great education: eradicating poverty, growing Maine’s skilled workforce and attracting business to Maine. Great education at a reasonable cost will make Maine prosper,” she said. “We spend a lot on education, and we are not getting improved results. We need to get the money we are spending into the classroom, to the teachers and students. That is where hard work and great things happen.”

“The future of Maine depends on this. Education affects all aspects of life. This is where we should begin,” she added.

Morin also said she wants to protect personal freedoms and tackle the state’s growing opioid crisis.

Fecteau said he believes education is a key factor in boosting the state’s economy, but said more needs to be done to increase vocational training to stimulate business and development, and to keep younger working professionals within state lines.

“Maine needs 21st-century jobs with livable wages,” Fecteau said. “Attracting these jobs will require investment in high-speed internet access, more low-cost renewable energy options and improved public transportation. In addition, we need to train young people for skilled labor; otherwise, there will not be enough people to build and maintain business infrastructure in the state.”

Fecteau said he submitted a proposal for a $25 million bond to fund equipment improvements and upgrades to the state’s 27 career and technical education schools in the previous session. That legislation was tabled and never received a vote, and he wants to ensure a bill passes in the upcoming session.

“We know a liberal arts college education is not for everyone,” he said. “We must fund these vocational schools in order to provide young people with the skills they need to become successful plumbers, mechanics, nurses, architects, engineers, early-childhood educators, electricians, automotive mechanics and much more.”

By increasing the number of skilled labor jobs for the state’s young workers, Fecteau said, the Legislature can begin addressing the state’s need for increased housing and quality of life programs for the elderly.

“If we continue to lose young Mainers to neighboring states, our state cannot make the investments needed in senior housing, prescription drug assistance, home heating oil assistance, and keeping property taxes low,” he said.

Morin said voters should choose her on election day because of her life experience, saying she loves to see young people involved in government but that her opponent doesn’t have enough experience to adequately lead.

“One of the biggest issues in government is that people believe they know what is best, but until you live it and experience it, knowing what is best is not always clear,” she said. “It is through experiences that we gain knowledge to understand and make sound decisions.”

Fecteau, however, says his young age isn’t without experience, and that he has new perspectives to draw young people to the state to live, work and play.

“I know what it is like to pay for rent, electricity, heat, student loans, groceries, gas, car loans, car insurance, medical bills and so much more. There are thousands of young Mainers facing the same challenges,” he said. “At the same time, I’ve seen up close the struggles of seniors like my grandmother face: being on fixed incomes and paying for prescriptions, mortgages, property taxes, water bills, electricity, oil, and the list goes on and on.”

Fecteau said he has continuously worked to solve both challenges, and will do so again if he is re-elected.

“I have both the energy and enthusiasm to take action and deliver results for our city,” he said.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or abennett@journaltribune.com.