#1.   What are your three top priorities?

1. Strengthening Families –
-We must make strong upfront investments in our children – their health care and their education. 
-We must provide universal access to affordable, single payer, health care and affordable prescription drugs.  The system must stress sound nutrition and other preventative health strategies, reducing more costly remedial care.
-We must support and expand services that help elderly and disabled folks – physically and financially - remain in their homes…programs like foster grandparents, senior companions, meals on wheels, home visiting, day programs, the circuit breaker, fuel assistance, weatherization and home repair (especially to accommodate access) are far less costly than institutional care (in nursing homes, jails, and homeless shelters).
-We must aggressively pursue policies to end hunger and food insecurity, and homelessness in programs that address the issues of homelessness, nutrition and food security.  We need fair tax reform.
-We must initiate fair, progressive tax reform that will lessen the burden for people with lower and fixed incomes.

2. Protecting the Environment –
-We must have well thought out strategies for encouraging development and use of alternative energy sources and transportation systems - until they aren’t “alternative” any more.
-We need strong policies for keeping our air and water clean, reversing recent deregulatory trends. 
-We must protect our forests, and the wildlife and industry they support. 

3. Growing the Economy –
-Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities.  We must support them with a fair tax structure and affordable employee health care.
-We must maintain and upgrade our community infrastructure – affordable housing, efficient shipping/transportation, and affordable energy.  We should strive to be clean and green.
-We must insist on an affordable and articulated community college and university system that produces an excellent workforce for our new economy.
-We must continue to encourage innovation in our traditional industries - forest products, shipbuilding, fishing, sustainable agriculture, outdoor recreation and tourism.-We must work hard to attract new businesses committed to Maine’s way of life in fields like renewable energy, biotechnology, and the arts.

2. The past few years, Maine Housing Authority has utilized the HOME Fund (Housing Opportunities for Maine) to help finance fundamental programs as loans for first-time homebuyers, housing for people who are homeless, affordable rental housing, home repair, and housing for people with special needs. The Fund also helps finance programs that makes homes safer for children and makes homes accessible for people with disabilities. Over the last two years, the legislature has considered taking money from the HOME Fund in order to balance the budget. If elected, would you support the protection of the HOME fund? If so, what other ways would you suggest balancing the budget?

I definitely support protection of the HOME fund.  I would also be looking for other innovative strategies to generate more funds to create more affordable, energy-efficient, and accessible housing.  Ending homelessness, and not by increasiing institutionalization, must also be a priority.

I would be looking at progressive tax reform, including broadening the sales tax (and maybe reducing the rate), making the income tax more progressive, allowing local option taxes…and demanding that more of our federal tax dollars go to real homeland security, supporting policies and programs that invest in our children’s health and education, and ensure a living wage income to all families able to work, including universal, affordable single payer health care.

3. A major concern among young people is the rising cost of health care. 17,000 more Mainers are now uninsured since HMOs first arrived in Maine.
State-funded health care programs like MaineCare is facing consistent cuts, while publicly financed heath insurance like Dirigo, has a current freeze on new applicants. Many First World countries have supported comprehensive health care systems that cover every person with health care. Within the United States, states like Massachusetts and Maine have taken steps towards universal, comprehensive health care coverage. Would you support state legislation for universal single payer health care in Maine?

Absolutely.

4. It seems that every month there is another recall or concern about children's toys or consumer products. The fact is that Maine families are exposed to hazardous toxic chemicals found in the consumer products that we use everyday. Toxic chemicals in the environment are among the causes of critical health problems that can be prevented. What would you do to help Maine ensure that hazardous chemicals in everyday consumer products are replaced with safer substitutes?

In the end, this is really a federal issue.  The protections Maine children and families deserve, all children and families deserve.  In the absence of a national policy and protections, I think the bill currently before the legislature is a good initiative.  It clearly has gotten people’s attention.

5. The State of Maine is currently a participant in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an innovative project geared toward cutting global warming emissions by establishing a cap-and-trade system for power plant emissions.
Do you support Maine's participation in RGGI? Would you support the establishment of an economy-wide cap-and-trade program in Maine that would cut greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors (i.e. transportation, commercial and residential heating, etc.)?

I support Maine’s participation in RGGI.  I like the “cap” but I’d like to eliminate the “trade.”  I’d like to think we can get past the “money talks” stage.

6. The Maine Department of Transportation estimates that it faces a shortfall of more than $2 billion to simply maintain the existing transportation infrastructure. What, if any, funding solution do you support:

Yes -  LD 2019, An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on Funding Passenger Rail, which would secure funding for transit by dedicating a portion of revenues from general fund sources like meals and lodging, sales tax, and car rental fees?

Yes -  Using Maine Turnpike Authority funds, which are currently dedicated to highway maintenance and expansion, for all transportation projects, including transit?

Yes -  Raising car rental fees to subsidize transit?

 
6a. Please detail other funding options you might propose or for which you might advocate:

Transportation policy clearly needs to be a critical component of our stratgic planning.  We can and must make individual/private transportation (passenger & freight)) more energy efficient,  but in the long run we need aggressive improvements to the public and mass transit systems that will reduce the need for private transportation.

7. With the state facing a $200 million revenue shortfall in the current biennium (a projection that may change when April receipts are tallied),
Do you support increasing the sales tax in order to avoid balancing the budget entirely through program cuts? If you do not support a tax increase of any kind – and given that “enhanced government efficiencies” will provide only very modest savings if any at all -- which programs do you propose to cut and by how much?

I support expanding the sales tax base – but not to include basic needs goods and services - and maybe reducing the rate, thoroughly reviewing all current tax exemptions (I believe the total in tax exemptions excedes current general fund expenditures.), and making more progressive adjustments to the income tax – inclludingh raising the rate for the top bracket.

8. As municipalities continue to provide what are increasingly expensive public goods (like education, police and fire protection), what is your plan for controlling growth in property taxes while maintaining these fundamental government services?

See #7.  This would allow for more direct State revenue sharing with municipalities.  I also support local option taxes.

9. The Opportunity Maine program will allow students who graduate from any Maine college or University, and continues to live, work and pay taxes here, to be reimbursed for student loan payments through a state income tax credit or an employer tax credit.
Projections show that in ten years, this strategy could cost the state as much as $55 million annually, but the return on that investment is conservatively estimated at $75 million in new state and local tax revenues and decreased social expenditures. If elected, will you commit yourself to protecting this long-term economic development strategy, without any reduction in the credit’s size or availability?

Yes, I like this program.  It’s critical that higher education is accessible and affordable for all Maine people – young and old.  Opportunity Maine and Parents as Scholars are two exemplary strategic initiatives that encourage Maine people to pursue post-secondary education, strengthening our workforce and our economy.  We must ensure that the articulation agreement between the Community College and University of Maine systems is simple and user friendly, that it encourages and supports a variety of entry points and paces for pursuing higher education. 

I’m also interested in encouraging a connection between economic development and post-secondary education like the coop system at Northeastern, where after the first year, students attend classes for 2 quarters/year and the University works with the business community to secure work sites for students (in their academic field) for the other two quarters.  The program takes a little longer (5 years), but students learn a real job and earn money, and businesses get motivated labor, and in some instances, employees with 2 years of on-the-job training and experience after graduation.

10. Portland schools are seeing less funding from the state due, in part, to increasing value of residential and commercial property.
Although property valuation is a measure of taxable resources, it is not necessarily a good indicator of the ability of taxpayers to meet the funding needs of our schools. What are your thoughts on how to balance local and state contributions to school costs? 

Portland schools are losing funding…and they may be about to walk away from $20 million. I prefer small neighborhood elementary schools that encourage strong parental involvement.  Progressive tax reform at the State level would allow for more revenue sharing with municipalities…for education and/or other local needs.  I’m afraid the much more ominous damages will come if the federal government implements the scheduled elimination of the Medicaid Targeted Case Management funds that supports so much of our special education programs. 

11. What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses of the state's new school district consolidation law, particularly as it affects Portland?

I think the real potential in the consolidation law is that it gives us the opportunity to have a new public dialogue at the community level about purpose and function of public education.  It could be wonderful.  Public education should develop critical thinkers with real life skills, and should instill and reinforce an appreciation for life-long learning.  The consolidation law could greatly improve K-12 public education in Maine, not just save money.  Good educators could be paid more, enhancing recruitment and retention of competent staff.  Curricula could be expanded to include more arts, humanities, music and real life skills like health and nutrition, money management and asset development, and community service, and could be taught in innovative ways that recognize and respond to differing learning styles. 

Consolidation efforts that build inclusive collaborations and encourage shared visions about the possibilities to improve and expand our children’s education will be strong and thrive.  Those that stay focused on cutting costs and/or home rule will be divisive and struggle.

Right now, Portland has much bigger problems than the consolidation law…and we really need an inclusive community dialogue about our values and goals for public education in the city.
 
12. Given Mainers’ struggle to balance work with family care responsibilities would you support:

Yes -  Paid sick days to full and part-time workers

Yes -  Paid family and medical leave

Yes -  Legislation that allows workers to request flexible work schedules without employer retaliation

13. Do you support current Maine law (22 M.R.S.A. § 1502), which allows minors to consent on their own behalf for health care including contraceptive counseling, mental health care and substance abuse treatment?

Yes.  To protect children, someone must respect and listen to them.  I want to trust the intention and judgement of the health care professionals in our schools and community agencies.

14. Currently seventeen states fund abortion care for poor women on the same or similar terms as other pregnancy-related and general health services in their state-run Medicaid program.
Maine’s Medicaid program only covers abortion care when the life of the pregnant woman is at risk or she is the victim of rape or incest. Would you support funding abortion care for women covered by Medicaid in Maine?

Yes.  The right to choose belongs to all women.

15. There is a significant move in Europe, Alaska, and Southeast Asia toward the independent certification of fisheries as sustainably-harvested.
In effect, consumer demand for sustainable fisheries is moving faster than regulatory bodies to save fisheries from overfishing. New England is behind the rest of the world in this regard; Maine has no independently certified fishery. Would you support a similar move toward independent certification in Maine?

Yes.  I support bringing all parties together to develop the criteria and the process.  I think the Gulf of Maine Research Institute may be a good convenor/facilitator.

16. What do you see as the biggest challenge for Maine fisheries over the next five years? Biggest opportunity?

I’m not very well versed in this area, but I suspect competion from the Maritimes (less restrictive regulations) and Southern New England (cheaper access to bigger markets) may be the biggest challenges.  More locally, I think the berths at many of Portland’s piers need to be dredged to better accommodate the fishing fleet.
 
The best opportunity may be that the restrictions aimed at restoring the groundfish population are successful.  Also, if the recently proposed boat buyout goes through and the fleet is reduced, those that remain many be able to make a decent living.
 
17. Do you favor creating a path of citizenship that allows undocumented immigrants to come forward and begin the process of permanent residency and then legal citizenship?

Absolutely.  Except for the few surviving indigenious people, all of us are immigrants or descendants of immigrants…most came here “undocumented” - it’s a hallmark of our country.


18. Unsolicited comments from the candidate about why I want to serve in the legislature.

For over 36 years, I’ve worked with and for folks in this community who struggle to make a living wage.  I don’t think it’s right that hard working, honest people should have to worry about their family’s health care, their children’s education, their mortgage or rent, their aging parents, or their own old age. 

We say we want homeland security.  I say that includes hometown security.  And that includes family home security.  In our free enterprise democracy, we need a strong and active government, representative of all corners of our community, to work for the common good - to provide leadership and direction, to collect and distribute resources, and to assure our security and plan for our future.  We need an informed and engaged public sector.  We don’t lack resources.  We just need to collect and use them more appropriately.