BIDDEFORD — If she is elected Maine’s next governor, Hallowell resident Elizabeth Ann “Betsy” Sweet said she’ll advocate for universal health care, offer two years of free college to Maine students in exchange for a year of community service, review Maine’s system of tax credits and support initiatives in research and development.

Sweet, 61, is among seven Democrats in the June 12 primary. A single mother of three grown daughters, she operates a lobbying firm and a life coaching business.

She’s got a long list of issues and ideas she said she’d support, like a “buy Maine “ program that would have state government favor small Maine businesses and envisions serving Maine food in state university cafeterias. Sweet would support local farmers with capital investment, joint processing facilities and coordinated marketing, according to her campaign literature. She advocates a minimum starting salary of $40,000 for Maine teachers and reopening the Indian Land Claims Act which she says doesn’t adequately respect the sovereignty of the tribes or their right to their own land, their own economic development plans, or their governance.

In an interview on Tuesday, Sweet said the conversation about universal heath care is no longer “if” but “when.” She sees a couple of options — a government service like Medicare for all, or a service contracted by a nonprofit — and is exploring a regional approach.

“I’m working with some experts under a New England compact,” for single-payer health care, that she said could become a guidepost for the rest of the country.

Sweet supports the expansion of Medicaid, universal in-home care and a $15 minimum wage. She supports access to reproductive health care, insuring and enhancing LGBTQ rights, paid family medical leave and investment in wind, hydro and geothermal energy sources.

How to pay for those initiatives?

“We gave $400 million to the wealthiest Mainers,” said Sweet, pointing to a tax cut instituted earlier this decade. “That could have paid for heath care. We’re now paying for the profits of drug companies, labs and corporate healthcare.”

She said she would reduce heath care costs by emphasizing prevention and pointed out passage of Medicaid expansion would inject $500 million into the Maine economy.

Sweet pointed to $35 million in tax exemptions to General Dynamics. “What does Maine get for that? ” she asked, saying that example and others are good reasons for a review of the tax system.

Sweet said she’s heard interesting things about using mycelium — a matter that grows under mushrooms — as a substitute for styrofoam that can be adapted for use in a number of applications — like lobster buoys, for instance, aiding the environment.

“It’s no silver bullet but an interesting new idea, and that will be the comeback story of Maine,” said Sweet.

Maine also has to put out the welcome mat to immigrants to help address the workforce shortage issue and in so doing help municipalities with the social service costs they incur associated with immigration, she said. She would give credit to immigrants for education that they received elsewhere, easing the path to employment.

Sweet was raised in Abington, Pennsylvania, but has Maine roots. She spent her summers on North Haven, where her grandfather fished lobster. She opened her lobbying business, Moose Ridge Associates, in 1990, and her life coaching business after earning a master’s degree in psychology from Santa Monica University in 2009. She prefers the word advocate to lobbyist, because, in her case, she said, she works only for nonprofits.

She is the sole Democrat running as a Clean Elections candidate; Independent Terry Hayes and Republican Garrett Mason are also running under the Clean Elections banner.

Sweet said she has “35 years of getting things done.”

“It it what I’ve done all my life, bring people together,” said Sweet. She points to the fracture in Augusta. “The question has become ‘who can we blame,’ rather than “how can we fix this,’” Sweet said. “People love my energy and enthusiasm —  and I’m kind. That doesn’t mean I can’t be a tough negotiator.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.