Sarah Hall

Democrat

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 46
Age: 47
Occupation: Lawyer
Education: University of Maine School of Law
Family: Married with two children
Hometown: Durham

Political experience

I am currently in my second terms as a Selectman in Durham, and have been Vice Chair of the Board of Selectmen since 2014.

Why are you running for office?

I am running because I love it here! Maine is my home and the place we have chosen to raise our family. This is my community and I want to work together to see it excel. There are so many amazing things about this State but we can do better – economically, socially, environmentally. Although much emphasis is placed on the partisan divisions, it is an old but true cliché that there is more that unites us than there is that divides us. We need to rise above the partisan rhetoric to find common ground and move Maine forward. I would like to be part of that story and help assure a strong and prosperous future for my children.

• 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.
    Maine has one of the oldest populations in the country, many of whom live on Social Security or other fixed income. I am concerned that the elimination of the income tax would disproportionately impact seniors and low income families who are already struggling. These groups often pay little or no income tax and thus will see no benefit from this plan, but will face the inevitable increases to property taxes and sales taxes because ultimately the lost revenue will need to be made up elsewhere. Rather than an elimination of taxes, it looks more like a reallocation of the tax burden that offers the largest benefit to the wealthy.
• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • Yes.
    Despite the heated rhetoric surrounding this issue, a review of multiple national polls demonstrates that the majority of Americans of both parties favor expanded background checks, including gun shows and private sales. The harder part is how to get beyond the partisan gridlock and have a broader discussion about the epidemic of gun violence in this country and the role of mental health. I agree with the Maine Chiefs of Police Association’s position that expanded background checks “won’t solve gun crime on its own, but it’s an important tool in efforts to end gun crime, and the movement of illegal guns.”
• 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.
    I support the idea of a livable wage and believe that incremental increases are the way to get there. Fair wages can benefit both employers, by attracting more skilled employees, and workers by helping people escape from poverty. For people living paycheck to paycheck, this money will go directly back into the economy. That said, I do understand that these changes bring challenges for small businesses and believe that increases in minimum wage must recognize those challenges.
• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • Yes.
    The current referendum takes a relatively balanced approach by permitting local municipalities to regulate retail sales and cultivation within their communities, and employers to control the work place while allowing adults to possess relatively small amounts of marijuana for recreational use. There has been a great deal of research to support the therapeutic use of marijuana for a wide array of symptoms, including use in opioid addiction. While the science is not conclusive, it is promising. Like alcohol it is limited to adults over the twenty-one. This is not to say that it is without risk or that it is the silver bullet to any of our problems, fiscal or otherwise. Much like alcohol there is always a risk of abuse but prohibition has not been a successful strategy and prosecuting small possession cases ties up law enforcement and judicial resources that can be better spent on larger issues.
• 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?
  • I have been paying close attention to the discussion but, before I start to second guess those on the front lines, I want to learn more from them about what is and is not working in order to get a clear understanding of where government intervention can be the most effective and in what form. I am encouraged by the work that the Scarborough Police Department is doing with Operation HOPE and would like to see more support for those struggling for recovery. However, there is a severe shortage of beds and facilities to combat addiction, and the funds to pay for them. I look forward to hearing from people on all sides of the issue because I do not see this as a partisan issue or a political issue but a community issue that is going to take all of our collective Maine ingenuity to solve.