Previous Offices Held
I have been a member of the Cape Elizabeth Town Council for 3 years, seeking reelection. I am the council representative to the Maine Municipal Association and also represent Cape Elizabeth on the Cumberland County budget committee.
Top Three Priorities
Candidate did not respond to this question.
Why are you running?
I’m running because I love Cape Elizabeth, and want it to continue to thrive. It has a rich history of being welcoming and well run. I have a long record of involvement on numerous committees, including affordable housing and I chaired the last comprehensive plan. I also worked on the school building advisory committee. I have been the representative to the Maine Municipal Association and worked on the Cumberland County budget committee for the last two seasons.
What is the biggest challenge facing your town/county? The biggest opportunity?
The biggest challenge we have in Cape Elizabeth and Cumberland County is affordable housing. The next biggest challenge we have is how to pay for everything as costs continue to escalate. Property tax escalation in the county and the state are the number one priorities. Everyone is working on it at the local, county and state level. The state's level of financial support for Cape Elizabeth is either minimal or nonexistent. This needs to change.
If you could change one thing about how the town/county functions, what would it be and why?
I think the way the county and Cape Elizabeth function together works well. We have an excellent relationship with the county manager. Cape Elizabeth’s tax contribution to the county budget is significant and is based only on our towns property valuation, which puts us at near the top of all towns contributing. I would like that reviewed for possible legislative modification. I also think there’s opportunity for towns like Cape to collaborate and share services with the county.
Do you support more development – i.e. more housing construction and business building in your town/county? Why or why not?
I do support more housing construction in Cape Elizabeth and Cumberland County. I was on the housing diversity committee and we identified three areas of housing that should be prioritized: housing for seniors, young families, and our town employees. I also support our continued efforts as a council to help new and existing business owners in Cape to be successful and grow. We have a couple of new housing developments in the town center that look very encouraging and need our support.