Jim Means

Republican

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 27
Age: 66
Occupation: Retired. Former Real Estate Asset Manager, founder and president of a real estate investment firm
Education: B.S., Industrial Management, Clarkson University
Family: Married for 39 years, three sons
Hometown: Buffalo

Political experience

Member of the Gorham Economic Development Council for seven years. Volunteer Coordinator for a Congressional campaign. Chairman of the Gorham Republican Committee.

Why are you running for office?

I feel that the majority of my constituents have not been adequately represented at the Representative level in Augusta. I am not a “career politician” and believe in a citizens’ legislature. We face some serious challenges and need to focus on finding solutions rather than playing partisan politics. I will bring 30 years of successful management experience along with common sense, real-world solutions to Augusta in representing the people of Gorham and Scarborough. My wife and I raised three sons to adulthood in Gorham and have experienced the kind of problems and challenges as those who I want to represent.

• 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. Maine can gradually lower the income tax rate as we benefit from an expanded employment base. Once we dramatically lower electricity cost, more businesses will expand and locate here. Improved incentives for higher educated graduates (through a new college loan offset program against income tax) will result in young talent choosing to live and raise their families in Maine instead of going to lower cost states, like New Hampshire.
• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • No. It will not stop criminals from obtaining firearms and will make law abiding citizens unintentional lawbreakers because of its vague language. The process will be time consuming and expensive for law minding citizens trying to comply. Maine has a long tradition of responsible firearm ownership while having one of the lowest firearm crimes in the nation. Similar measures elsewhere have failed to work: Chicago has some of our nations strictest gun laws and suffers from the highest firearm crimes, shooting and murder rates in the U.S.
• 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. Cities that have forced increased minimum wages have faced significant business closures and employment losses, exactly what I want to reverse in Maine. Economists at outside universities estimate that Maine will lose 3,800 if this measure is approved. We need to encourage business development, not place more roadblocks to their, and their employees successes. Even waitresses and “back of the house” (cooks, food preparers, etc) will earn less.
• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • No. I believe that it may be a pathway drug to more harmful and addictive substances, like heroin. Law enforcement will have a difficult time measuring ability for users to drive safely. It has also been proven to have negative effects upon brain development in young people. My goal is to provide more and better employment opportunities for Mainers; we need sharp, focused employees to fill today’s higher skill set jobs. These employees need to be motivated and energetic and marijuana use impedes the kind of behavior we need for successful careers and businesses.
• 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?
  • More needs to be done. Counselors I have spoken with say that there is no simple answer. Effective education in our homes and schools, access to treatment and breaking the cycle of addicts returning to the same environment that led them to drugs need to play a promiant role. it is important that our people coming out of rehab can be facilitated in finding employment; job training and matching skill sets would help those affected.