{"id":12486,"date":"2026-09-25T19:07:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/suzanne-phillips\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T19:07:50","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:50","slug":"suzanne-phillips","status":"publish","type":"candidate","link":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/suzanne-phillips\/","title":{"rendered":"Suzanne Phillips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Previous Offices Held<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Four terms on the town council; one term on the school committee.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Top Three Priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Economic growth comes from investing in the right infrastructure and planning ahead. We must maintain affordability for all residents who have shaped Gorham\u2019s identity. We need to balance development with the rural character people value, while also strengthening our tax base so we can keep services strong without placing unnecessary burdens on taxpayers. I want to improve the accuracy and clarity of communication from the town to residents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Why are you running?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I am committed to continuing the important work of the town council by bringing fiscal responsibility, transparency, and thoughtful policymaking to every decision. Most importantly I want to build a clear and positive vision for Gorham\u2019s future – one that communicates with residents, respects our history and keeps Gorham a great place to live.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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What is the biggest challenge facing your town\/county? The biggest opportunity?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Affordability is a challenge in communities everywhere. Whether it\u2019s a young family working to build a life here, a senior hoping to remain in the community they love, or a multigenerational family that has helped shape Gorham for decades, everyone deserves the opportunity to live, work, and thrive here.\nWe need to look for practical ways to support housing options, manage growth responsibly, and protect the qualities that make Gorham a community people are proud to call home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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If you could change one thing about how the town\/county functions, what would it be and why?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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We can make working with the town easier for businesses. I have heard for years that \u201cGorham should be more business-friendly.\u201d That means helping new businesses get established, supporting businesses that are already part of our community, and giving businesses the resources they need to succeed. Our economic development department can be an even greater resource. Businesses should know where to go when they need assistance navigating the town\u2019s processes or looking for opportunities to grow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Do you support more development \u2013 i.e. more housing construction and business building in your town\/county? Why or why not?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I am focused on building economic stability by investing in infrastructure that allows responsible growth. Thoughtful decisions about roads, utilities, village centers and land use create the foundation for a resilient local economy. Managing both residential and business growth is essential, and we need to restore balance that Gorham has been missing. With several large housing projects in the pipeline, we must plan for the impacts they will have with more collaboration and less politics.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"voter_guide_candidate_first_name":"Suzanne","voter_guide_candidate_middle_name":"","voter_guide_candidate_last_name":"Phillips","voter_guide_candidate_suffix":"","voter_guide_candidate_race_id":12480,"voter_guide_candidate_age":50,"voter_guide_candidate_hometown":"","voter_guide_candidate_occupation":"By working multiple part-time jobs, I am able to use a wide range of skills from my administrative experience and ability to manage stressful situations to my willingness to take on physical labor as well. I understand the realities of working hard, supporting your family and making ends meet in today's economy.","voter_guide_candidate_bio":"I have served on several town committees and community events such as the Gorham Taste Walk, Gorham Business Exchange, Gorham Founders Festival, Gorham SnoGoers and Gorham Historical Society.","voter_guide_candidate_education":"Gorham High School (1994); BA in Art\/Education, University of Southern Maine","voter_guide_candidate_years_in_municipality":"","voter_guide_candidate_headshot_url":"","voter_guide_candidate_date_filed":"","footnotes":""},"vg_party":[466],"vg_residence_municipality":[],"class_list":["post-12486","candidate","type-candidate","status-publish","hentry","vg_party-independent"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/12486","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/candidate"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/12486\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12487,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/12486\/revisions\/12487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12486"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"vg_party","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_party?post=12486"},{"taxonomy":"vg_residence_municipality","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_residence_municipality?post=12486"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}