Cathy Breen

Democrat

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Senator – District 25
Age: 50
Occupation: State Senator
Education: B.A. Tufts University; M.Ed. University of Illinois in Chicago
Family: Married, two young adult children
Hometown: Falmouth

Political experience

Elected to the Park District Board in Oak Park, Illinois (1997-2000)
Elected to Falmouth Town Council, serving two separate years as Chair (2005-2011)
Elected to Maine Senate 2014-present

Why are you running for office?

I am running for re-election to the Maine Senate because Maine’s economic future depends on responsible management of our natural resources, a public education system that prepares Maine students for success the 21st century, investments in renewable energy, and infrastructure that supports Maine’s competitive advantages in such industries as fishing, biotech, agriculture, aquaculture, local food, and health care.

• 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

    In our most recent budget, the legislature lowered income taxes, stretched out our income tax brackets, and maintained a slight uptick in taxes paid mainly by visitors to Maine (meals & lodging taxes). I supported this budget. Eliminating the income tax entirely would shift the burden too heavily onto sales tax, which disproportionately hurts lower income Mainers. In addition, property taxes, which are already difficult for many Mainers on low and fixed incomes, would increase as a result. And there is no evidence that eliminating the income tax would improve our overall economic health.

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

    To the greatest extent possible, people who own firearms in Maine should be subject to background checks regardless of how or where

• 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

    Too many Mainers are working full-time – or more – and are unable to feed their families, heat their homes, or pay their rent. Over 60% of minimum wage workers in Maine are women who are often single parents struggling to feed their children. Food insecurity and poverty are on the rise in Maine; raising the minimum wage is one way to combat those trends. No one working full-time should be struggling to feed their children.

• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • No

    I need better research and information on how marijuana effects the brain, especially the developing brains of teenagers.

• 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. The Legislature funded 10 new law enforcement positions (statewide) and 12 new treatment beds (in the Bangor area) in our last budget. The LePage administration has failed to fill those positions and to open the much needed treatment beds. We should have a consistent and multi-pronged approach that includes robust education/prevention, law enforcement and evidence-based treatment. Too many Mainers are waiting too long for evidence-based treatment or they’re having to leave the state to get their needs met.