Stephen Miller

Republican

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 61
Age: 54
Occupation: Realtor
Education: 12+
Family: Single father of 1 child
Hometown: Lewiston

Political experience

None

Why are you running for office?

I feel when folks run for office, their intentions are to do the best job they can. But I feel once in office, they forget who voted them in and don’t do the will of the people but what is best for their own agenda.

• 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

    Not enough information to make a statement.

• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • No

    This facts of this ballot question are not being truthfully given to the people of Maine. There is already a background check for all sales at dealers and gun shows. It is more about transfer of firearms between friends while hunting, target shooting and personal protection. It is an out of state billionaire funding the signature gathers who are mostly from out of state. Not very grassroots in my opinion. New York has a gun violence problem, Maine doesn’t.

• 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?
  • No

    Minimum wage is a starting wage and if minimum wage goes to $12.00 and hour, all it dies is raise the cost of goods and services throughout the state. New employees will be making the same amount as those who have been on the jobs a year or 2 because employer will not be able to reward good employees with raises as their labor cost will be too high. Labor cost also effects insurance cost.

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

    I’m not sure. As I do believe marijuana is less destructive than alcohol I need to do more research to the effects of prolonged use of marijuana.

• 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, we are not. I feel dealers need to be held accountable for selling drugs that are killing our people. People that are users of these drugs not only need help to quite but also need to face punishment for multiple convictions of possession if they don’t at least try to quite using.