Christopher K. Johnson

Democrat

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Senator – District 13
Age: 59
Occupation: IT Professional, currently unemployed
Education: BA Physics from University of Maine
Family: Married, 2 daughters, 4 grandchildren
Hometown: Somerville

Political experience

State Senator from Lincoln County since February 2012. I have served as Chair of the Marine Resource Committee and Government Oversight Committee, and as member of Education, Government Oversight, and Judiciary committees.
Elected to the Sheepscot Valley RSU#12 Board, 2009, 2012, and 2015.

Why are you running for office?

In Maine too many people are struggling to make ends meet, too many young people are leaving to find better opportunity, and too many children and seniors live in poverty. We can – and must – do better. We need to build on Maine’s strengths and create infrastructure to support growth in farming, fishing, boat building, clean energy generation, broadband and other technology-based jobs. We need to ensure our local downtowns can foster a real sense of community, and that young families can afford a decent home, quality affordable childcare and know their children will receive a good education. I believe in that future, and I believe we can achieve it through vision, sound economic plans, and working together. Elections don’t fix problems. But electing people who have vision, make plans, and have a proven record of working hard to solve problems for Maine people by working with others is the way to get things done. I am seeking re-election to continue that work.

• 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

    The sales tax is regressive, impacting lower income people far more than wealthier people. Middle income Mainers are already paying a larger percentage of their income in combined state and local taxes than the wealthiest 1 percent, and it’s even worse for low income Maine families. The Governor’s proposal would push an even greater burden onto Maine people who can least afford it, while providing the greatest benefit to millionaires. It’s just plain wrong.

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

    Maine has a serious problem with domestic violence. And about half of all homicides are domestic homicides. So while background checks on private gun sales may create an inconvenience for some, they are also the responsible thing to do to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous people including domestic violence perpetrators, and prevent the 1500 people who fail a background check at a federally licensed gun dealer from simply buying one through a private sale. In states where this background check loophole has been closed, 46 percent fewer women are shot to death. I consider those lives saved worth the inconvenience.

• 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

    The minimum wage in Maine has not increased in over 7 years. Meanwhile the cost of household expenses has gone up significantly. This increase would be gradual, reaching $12 in 2020, and keep Maine’s rate competitive with other New England states’ minimum wages. Though some people think the minimum wage only affects teenagers, that’s not today’s reality. Two-thirds of those earning the minimum wage in Maine are adult women. And most of them provide the only household income. One in four Maine children under age 5 lives in poverty. No one working full time should live in poverty, but far too many Maine women, and their children, do exactly that. It’s time to increase Maine’s minimum wage.

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

    This is a very difficult question for me, understanding potential good and bad impacts of passage. I am leaning toward supporting Question 1 because many of the concerns with its passage depend not on the concept of legalization, but on the details of its implementation. With local control and opportunities for regulation included in the language it should be possible to address the bulk of the concerns. Perhaps most importantly, by bringing sale of marijuana into the light, the odds of its being a gateway to dangerous drugs is minimized.

• 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, Maine is not. First, if we are going to get ahead of this serious and growing problem we have to make larger investments as a state in ensuring there are more treatment beds for inpatient treatment and more patient openings for outpatient treatment of drug addiction. The second thing we should do is accept federal dollars to expand Medicaid (MaineCare) in Maine. Many people seeking help with their addiction are being denied essential services, if they don’t have insurance coverage. Hospitals and clinics that do treat individuals without insurance coverage are running up charity care debt that Medicaid expansion would reimburse. Lastly, since DHHS cut the School Health Coordinator program, we are not doing enough to operate evidence-based drug addiction prevention programs in our schools. It is time to give equal priority to all three aspects of effective drug addiction reduction – enforcement of drug dealing and trafficking laws, treatment of people with a drug addiction, and prevention programs to keep people from becoming addicted.