Age (on Election Day): 48
Party affiliation: Democrat
Occupation: Small business owner
Community organizations:
Raymond Village Library, former trustee, volunteer; Raymond Revitalization Committee; Sebago Lake Region Chamber of Commerce; Pleasant Mountain Ski Club, volunteer
Hobbies, activities etc.:
I enjoy gardening, walking, kayaking and competing in agility and obedience with one of my four Labrador retrievers (all named after Red Sox players).
Family status: Married
Years in Legislature: 0
Clean Election candidate? Yes
Committee assignments wanted:
Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development; Environment and Natural Resources
What is the most pressing problem in your district and what do you plan to do about it?
As I talk with voters in House District 66, I hear about many different issues, but the one that almost everyone seems to mention is property taxes. In order to keep property taxes as low as possible the Legislature needs to fund aid to education and revenue sharing.
Gov. Paul LePage wants to eliminate the state income tax. Do you support that? If not, why not?
We all want lower taxes, but eliminating the income tax would put more pressure on local school districts and towns to raise property taxes which hurts seniors on fixed incomes and middle class property owners.
Are you willing to support raising the fuel tax to fix Maine roads? If not, why not?
The fuel tax has been flat since 2012. The fuel tax is a way to collect money to address maintenance and repair, it does not, however, take into account vehicles like electric cars. We should consider a new system that is more fair and protects small businesses.
The relationship between the governor and the Legislature has deteriorated over the past six years. What can the Legislature do to improve that relationship?
I believe it is up to the governor to turn a new leaf with a new Legislature. The ballot questions, each one has its flaws, can be attributed almost directly to the failure of the two branches to work together over the last six years.
What methods do you support to reduce opiate addiction in Maine?
Fighting the opiate epidemic requires a balanced approach. We need adequate resources for treatment, law enforcement and prevention.
How are you voting on the referendum questions?
Question 1: No
Question 2: Yes
Question 3: No
Question 4: Yes
Question 5: Yes
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