Owen Casas

Unenrolled

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 94
Age: 32
Occupation: Stone Mason
Education: Undergrad from University of Maine. Almost completed my Masters Degree from Case Western Reserve University.
Family: Married with three children.
Hometown: Washington

Political experience

I ran, as an Independent, in 2014 against a three term incumbent Democrat in a left leaning District. Although I did not win, I garnered 33% of the vote and was heavily encouraged to run against the new Democrat. There is no Republican in my race. I currently serve on the Rockport Select Board an in that capacity liaison to the Rockport Recreation Committee, Mid Coast Solid Waste Corporation, Capital Investment Committee, and the joint Camden-Rockport Pathways Committee. I have been actively following state, federal, and international affairs for years.

Why are you running for office?

I’ve always enjoyed helping people by using my skills to resolve issues and effect positive change. After my enlistment in the US Marines, I returned home and attend a National Outdoor Leadership School in South America, worked in masonry and on commercial fishing vessels, which added new perspective and influenced my desire to use the Post 911 GI Bill to expand my education. When I started college I wanted to know more about the broader political system because it played a role in all the industries I worked in and would continue to do so in the future. Through that research into American history and policies overtime I began to think that I had something to offer the process as a truly Independent thinker void of party or special interests. I want to work for the people, not a party.

• 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?
  • Other

    I’m not opposed to looking at our income tax rate to see what a reasonably low rate would be but I don’t support eliminating it. There are only three major revenue sources for state government -income, property and sales tax- so eliminating one of them would create an imbalance. I would be concerned about balancing the budget and the effects on sales and property tax under that scenario.

• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • Yes

    Although I said “yes” on this question I won’t be supporting question #3 because of the unintended consequences within that bill. If question #3 was simply about background checks I would be supporting it, however it isn’t and would have to be amended so heavily on day 1 that I can’t support it. I look forward to working on the framework laid out in question #3 to make it more Maine specific so we can pass something reasonable and more appropriate for our Maine realities.

• 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?
  • Other

    This question overlooks the entirety of the language in question #4. I support increasing the minimum wage to a livable wage and tacking it to an index that grows annually. However, I think that the increases in the “tip wage” employees would have negative effects on the service industry. I agree with the Maine Chamber of Commerce, Maine Innkeepers, and Maine Restaurant Associations on this one topic. A raise in the minimum is overdue but the tip wage industry minimum wage should be addressed separately.

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

    I do support legalization of marijuana for recreational uses by adults over 21 but again, this isn’t exactly what we are voting on with question #1. There is a lot of language in there that is concerning and I’m not very comfortable with the “intent” or who can comply with the regulations. The overriding idea, legalization and taxation of marijuana, I support but I’m not comfortable with some of the consequences that could present themselves after the bill is passes.

• 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. LET’S MAKE THIS A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION. We must increase education on the detrimental effects and addictive nature of opioid/ heroin use for youth and adults. Increase the number and availability of recovery beds. Increase the number of qualified therapists that can hold group sessions around addiction recovery. Increase the number of properly educated medical professional that can prescribe addiction recovery medications. Expand insurance coverage for “out of network” recovery options so more folks can financially afford the recovery effort. Work with criminal justice system to have prison and jail be a place for violent criminals, not recovering addicts. Work with law enforcement to stem the flow of drugs coming into the state