Full name: William Diamond, 63

Address: 261 Windham Center Road, Windham

Family: Married with two children and six grandchildren

E-mail: senbill.diamond@legislature.maine.gov

Incumbent Sen. Bill Diamond, D-Windham, is running for re-election in District 12, encompassing Casco, Raymond, Frye Island, Windham, Standish and Hollis. He is running against Republican Thomas Golebiewski and Green Independent Lisa Hazel Willey of Casco, who did not return repeated calls for an interview.

Diamond is a long-time politician, having served six years in the House and four years in the Senate in the 1970s and 1980s and as Secretary of State for eight years. Diamond also worked for 20 years in education, including in positions as teacher, principal and superintendent. He currently owns a small business.

During his past four years in the Senate, Diamond was chairman of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and served on the Transportation Committee. He worked on the consolidation of the county jail system, which created a statewide Board of Corrections to help run the jails and make decisions about future expansions or closures. At the same time, the amount local property taxpayers spend to support the facilities was capped at 2008 levels. The jail consolidation was a bipartisan effort, Diamond said.

“I think we have to stop this political partisan fighting,” Diamond said.

One of the most important issues he would work on if re-elected is creating more jobs, Diamond said.

“We have to be more aggressive in luring businesses into our state,” Diamond said. “There has to be a reason for businesses to come.”

Diamond said he has worked with the Baldwin Business Association to help expand the state Pine Tree Zone program to Baldwin to provide incentives and tax breaks to lure in a wood pellet company thinking about setting up in the town and creating 25 new jobs.

As president of Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Diamond said he advocates for community solutions to the high cost of heating oil, but also for help for residents to weatherize their homes and to promote alternative energy.

On the topic of school consolidation, Diamond said it was a good idea and was working in Raymond and Windham.

With a looming budget shortfall, Diamond said he foresaw having to look through the budget one piece at a time with cuts in mind.

“I think we’re going to have to reduce spending at the state level,” Diamond said. “Under no circumstances can we be raising taxes.”

Diamond is also running against Green Independent candidate Lisa H. Willey, who did not respond to requests for an interview.

Meet the candidates: Senate District 12 – Sen. Bill Diamond