ALICIA REA
Occupation: Associate director of special projects at Bates College
Education: Bachelor of Arts in religious studies, Bachelor of Science in psychology, Master of Arts in public administration and policy
Family: Mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law
Political experience: city councilor, 2018 to present
Q: Why do you think you’re the most qualified, or best candidate for this seat?
A: I am the most qualified for the Ward 3 City Council seat because my values reflect those of my constituents, as well as being prepared to listen when there is a difference of opinion and work to come together on issues.
Q: Please name three issues that you believe are critical to Lewiston’s future, and how you would address them.
A: Economic development. There are two parts here — working with developers on new housing that will suit our community’s needs for safer, affordable housing options. The other part is working with new businesses to open and expand in Lewiston.
School improvement. Part of this is voting yes on the LHS expansion referendum in November but the second part involves supporting the schools in looking at the current data to identify areas of strength and opportunity. By having a baseline understanding of where each school site falls in the spectrum of demographic, process and perception data, the needs of each building can be addressed through support from the central office and the upcoming budget.
Creating a welcoming community. I will continue to invite folks to visit our community before forming opinions about it and work to make sure that we are addressing the needs of all residents. We cannot move forward as a city and leave anyone behind in that process. Support of the Healthy Neighborhoods Transformation Plan, continuing to highlight good things happening in Lewiston, and working to develop more relationships with community members will all assist here.
Q: What do you like about the city budget passed this year, and what don’t you like?
A: I was pleased with the council’s budget work to support the new rental registration program with a position in the clerk’s office. I do wish we had the support to fund additional recreational positions. All children in our community deserve safe, supervised places to play without regard for cost of registration and this is not yet possible with the current recreation budget.
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