Previous Offices Held
Town or Raymond Budget Finance Committee (29 years, 15 as chair), Town of Raymond Select Board (9 years 3 as chair)
Top Three Priorities
1. Bringing the budget back in line, almost doubling it in an 8-year period is unstainable. 2. Attacking fraud, any funds disbursed due to fraud, hurt those who should have received the needed help. 3. Protecting our kids. DHHS is not providing proper oversight and control to protect those under its responsibility.
Why are you running?
For too long, Augusta has tried to solve our problems by simply throwing more of our tax dollars at them and hoping for the best. It’s not working and it’s time for a change! I am ready to do everything I can to root out waste, rein in spending, and make Maine more affordable for everyone.
What is one way Maine is on the right track? What is one way the state is on the wrong track?
Maine has done a good job at some protection for seniors but still has further to go to help our fastest-growing sector from being taken advantage of by outside sources. We need to be mindful that the bulk of this population is on fixed income so any increases in taxes hurts them disproportionally. The difference in services between the south and more rural areas is putting large numbers in unserved or underserved for serviced epically in healthcare related areas.
As one of several dozen legislators in your chamber, how would you make a measurable difference for your constituents?
Experience at the local level and experience in both international business and healthcare industry give me insight into how legislation can have drastic effects on the local level. There are many areas regarding local land development and use that are much better handled at the local level where regulations can be tailored to the local area. Regulations passed at the state level increase cost at the local level. Serving on the Health Committee, I can affect health services at the local level.
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?
In the past two years, increased taxes were levied on tobacco, streaming services, and others.These increases, including the additional tax on income, were put in place through supplemental budgets and not the proper method of public hearing and taxation committee reviews. We also need to look more carefully at the local cost of statewide regulations and move those decisions back to the local level.