Previous Offices Held
I have never before run for nor held elective office.
Top Three Priorities
My top three priorities are to lower the cost of housing, including property taxes and energy expenses, particularly for seniors and families struggling to get by even with two paychecks; increase access to affordable quality healthcare; and make childcare, food and other services for young families more affordable so parents can work and further their education and skills needed to succeed.
Why are you running?
The government needs to work well for the ordinary person. During my career as a bankruptcy attorney, I helped people during some of their worst times. Through these experiences, I developed a deep understanding of our local economy and how important it is to work together. Our district faces many problems, including the frustrations of farmers and small business owners who seek stability and consistency. By working together, we can make things work better.
What is one way Maine is on the right track? What is one way the state is on the wrong track?
We are on the right track as we protect the rights of citizens to make their own individual decisions affecting bodily autonomy and their privacy concerns. We are keeping the government and others out of what should be our personal domains. We are on the wrong track when we have been unable to better address and improve the high cost of living, particularly access to affordable quality health care in rural areas.
As one of several dozen legislators in your chamber, how would you make a measurable difference for your constituents?
I will do my best to work with all legislators and to build bridges between Republicans, Democrats and Independents. We will find areas of agreement enabling us to take action to benefit our state and constituents. Returning to my overriding principle — together we can do better — we can make government work for ordinary people. Sometimes this will include legislation, and other times, it will be working with individuals, organizations and businesses to improve our communities.
Surveys show the economy is the top concern of voters. What is a specific proposal addressing Maine voters’ economic anxieties that you’d work to make law?
I will continue to work to limit rent increases for those living in our trailer parks who too often are facing rapid increases in lot rent from out-of-state private equity groups. I will also work to enact several of the ideas of the Real Estate Property Tax Relief Task Force such as increasing the homestead exemption, expanding the property tax fairness credit and the tax deferral program, and addressing school funding.