ARUNDEL — Republican James Booth and Democrat Henry Ingwersen are competing for the State House District 10 seat, covering Arundel, Dayton and part of Lyman.

The seat is being vacated by Republican Wayne Parry, who will be termed out of office.

Booth, 54, lives in Arundel and is a small business owner. He served two years on the Saco City Council. He has also volunteered on several political campaigns and was the chairman of the York County Republicans from 2014 to 2017.

Booth said the major problem with guns is that the current laws are not enforced.

“We do not need more laws to restrict lawful gun ownership in Maine. We need people that brake current gun laws to do hard jail time,” he said.

Booth said government should allow the purchase of health insurance across state lines.

“Similar to car insurance, this would help lower cost,” he said.

He believes health care billing practices should be reviewed to try to root out fraud and mismanagement.

“We have to solve the underlining problem why we are not attracting young workers to Maine. We are ranked number three in Maine for taxation. Our neighbor New Hampshire has no income or sales tax. New Hampshire also has the number one average income per person in the country,” said Booth. “I believe that the State Legislature should look into adopting a more friendly tax policy then Maine would be more attractive to young workers and businesses.”

Booth said he’s a life-long Mainer, and started his business soon after graduating from Thornton Academy in 1983.

“As a small business owner I realize that small business is the backbone of the Maine economy and realize that Augusta can help or hurt small business,” he said.

Booth said his life experience gives him a big advantage in being able to relate to the average Mainer. This experience includes being a single dad, raising a child with severe medical issues and juggling family, work and the ups and downs of life.

“(This) makes me the better choice, if Arundel, Dayton or Lyman needs something I will get it done,” said Booth. “I know the people of the district from  Arundel, Dayton and Lyman.”

Ingwersen, 67, is a retired teacher and is a beekeeper. He served on the executive committee of the Democrats of the Kennebunks and Arundel.

“I believe in the second amendment, but I also believe that we need to do all we can to keep dangerous weapons out of the hands of those that shouldn’t have them,” said Ingwersen. “As a legislator, I will do this by supporting legislation such as LD 1884, which authorizes judges in Maine to temporarily suspend access to firearms by a person in emotional crisis by issuing a Community Protection Order.”

Ingwersen said if he was elected, he would oppose any legislation that would allow Maine to arm teachers, and he was opposed to LD 1761, a bill that was defeated in the 2018 Legislature that would have allowed guns in school parking lots.

Ingwersen said he believes Maine should expand Medicaid so it’s consistent with the Affordable Care Act, a move that would expand health care to about 70,000 Mainers and bring $500 million of annual federal funding to Maine.

Ingwersen said to help create a better future for employment in Maine the state needs to develop an easy-to-navigate program to help new Maine businesses access financing and train workers, offer a no-interest loan program for small businesses and help them finance the addition of new employees, promote clean renewable energy technologies to bring better jobs in Maine and help stop climate change and promote affordable state-wide access to broadband and cellular technologies.

The state also needs to increase scholarship opportunities for training in high-demand fields, align programs at community colleges with the needs of employers and provide debt-relief for college graduates who stay in Maine, he said.

“Throughout my life I have always been guided by a common set of values, stressing the importance of listening, teamwork, perseverance, equal opportunity, and environmental responsibility,” said Ingwersen. He said these values have guided him as a teacher, father and grandfather, and would also guide his work in Augusta if elected.

Ingwersen said if elected he would work hard on issues that are important to the people of his district, including supporting seniors by reducing the property tax burden so they can stay in their homes, making health care affordable and available, creating jobs by making responsible investments in small businesses, people and natural resources, improving educational quality and access, and encouraging development of clean, renewable energy.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 780-9015 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.