Jean-Marie Caterina Courtesy Photo

Jean-Marie Caterina, a Scarborough town councilor and longtime Scarborough resident, has announced her candidacy in the June Democratic primary for the newly formed House District 126, which includes north Saco, north and west Scarborough, and part of Westbrook.

“Anyone who has followed my council career knows I am not a follower, but one who takes seriously my duty to do what is best for my constituents. I am a fierce advocate for those I serve,” said Caterina.

Caterina is owner and president of the Caterina MacLean Group, with more than $70 million in sales in her real estate career, she said in a news release announcing her candidacy.

“I know what it takes to run a business. I understand the effects of public policy on outcomes in business. I understand the challenges of planning and budgeting in good times and bad,” she said.

She was Maine’s assistant commissioner of labor in the 1980s, worked as a human resource professional, taught in public and private school settings, and was a child protective social worker for Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

She has made prior runs for the Maine House and Maine Senate.

Reelected in 2020 to a third term on the Scarborough Town Council, Caterina has been vice chair of the council and chair of the Ordinance Committee.

“I bring a spectrum of real-world experiences in both the private and public sectors to this position that allow me to advocate knowledgeably for the people of House District 126,” said Caterina. As a town councilor, she said she was a leader in implementing a refundable property tax credit of up to $750 for senior citizens; has been a leader of councils that have maintained property tax increases of 3 percent or less; and continues to work to preserve the rural character of north and west Scarborough.

Caterina said as a private citizen and elected official she has worked for more than 30 years to bring a traffic bypass to north Scarborough that would reduce traffic impacts in Westbrook and Scarborough.

In her announcement, she said she supports education by making sure that teachers and students have all that they need to be successful.

She is currently advocating for workforce housing opportunities for this district.

“I am looking forward to getting out and meeting my neighbors in north Saco and Westbrook as well as returning to the houses of my constituents in Scarborough,” she wrote. “I want to hear what I can do on their behalf in Augusta. I believe strongly in serving those who elect me to the best of my ability. Even if we disagree on something, I will always listen to your perspective and work to find a common-sense solution.”

Caterina is a graduate of the University of Maine and holds a master’s degree from Boston College. She is married and has an adult daughter.