Paul Benjamin Schulz

Republican

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 48
Age: 46
Occupation: Self Employed Computer Consultant
Education: BA in Information Systems USU
Family: Married, 3 kids
Hometown: Pownal

Political experience

See reason for running!

Why are you running for office?

I’m running for office because I realized that I could no longer sit back and hope or wish for things to get better; I had to be the change for which I was looking. I’m tired of seeing my rights being minimized and slowly eroded away. I’m tired of working so hard only to be taxed more and more by our government. I’m frustrated with seeing our kid’s future being sold now for a huge $20 trillion and growing I-owe-you of spending. I’m sick of seeing our sovereignty being diluted by people who are flooding in without being vetted. I’m frustrated with our elected officials forfeiting our rights to a global community. I want the people who are elected to actually love America and the freedom that we have. I love America. I love her for the beacon of hope for which she stands. We need to get back to our core values of hard work, charity, love for God and country and standing on our own two feet.

• 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?
  • Yes

    I think that this is a terrific plan that will place the tax burden for part of the year onto the millions of tourists that flood into this state that don’t pay income taxes here yet use the state’s services.
    By implementing Gov. LePage’s idea it will help stimulate the state economy since each Mainer will have significantly more money to support local businesses.
    Also by removing the income tax it incentivizes success rather than punishing it since each tax payer will be able to keep the money they earn rather than giving incrementally more to the government.
    One issue that I see with taxation is that there is no over site or accountability on how our tax money is being spent. I would make it mandatory for all government to be completely transparent how our taxes are being spent and if there is waste or overage then that money needs to be given back to the taxpayers.

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

    It is unenforceable and targets, and taxes law-abiding citizens and does NOTHING to deter criminals from buying guns. Hence the identifier; criminal. It is also written ambiguously and open to further gun restrictions. If this is passed there will only be more and more unnecessary restrictions placed on law abiding citizen’s guns and will do nothing to reduce crime or get guns out of violent criminal’s hands. My suggestion is to fully prosecute current gun laws rather than adding additional load to government resources and law abiding gun owners.

• 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

    Why are we holding minimum wage as our goal? Through education and vocational training any worker can create a demand for themselves that will fetch easily more than minimum wage. There are so many options through the state and community for everyone to advance their positions and make themselves more marketable and worth more than any arbitrary state mandated wage.

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

    From knocking door-to-door, I can see that there is a lot of marijuana being used in Maine. I don’t think that most people that use are violent or criminal and shouldn’t be treated as such. Therefore, I think that marijuana should be decriminalized and if someone chooses to use it, that is their choice. However, that doesn’t absolve one of their actions if they were to hurt someone while under the influence.

• 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?
  • The state is doing a great job of addressing this issue, however, there needs to be some responsibility of the abusers. People need to be taught right from wrong and if they choose wrong they need to face the consequences of their choices. People that have addiction have ample resources and opportunities to get help. We need to be patient yet firm in our resolve to help. Addicts will never change if there isn’t an incentive to do so.