Who will represent Maine’s small businesses in 122nd Legislature?

By Chris Fee

The state needs to extend the olive branch to small business and work on true tax reform, most candidates told the Midcoast Review. Legislative hopefuls agreed unanimously that Maine needs to stop regulating and mandating small business and instead work to build a partnership and infrastructure to help boost small business. Candidates differed on just how to achieve that end.

On another hot topic, most candidates came down hard against the Palesky tax cap initiative, which would cap property taxes at 10 mils, saying while they understand Mainers’ frustration over high property taxes, the Palesky measure would only decimate municipal services and education and not address the real culprit—state-level spending.

Candidates did draw party lines when it came to the topic of state spending, with most Republicans supporting a constitutional amendment to curb spending in Augusta while Democrats leaned toward opposing such a measure, saying it would restrict lawmakers in times of financial crisis or economic downturn.

Midcoast candidates also gave their positions on gambling, health care costs, tourism and the economy and the proposal for a liquid natural gas terminal along Maine’s coast. The following is a breakdown by district of the candidates and their views on these important issues.

House District 41
Searsport, Stockton Springs, Prospect, Frankfort, Verona Island, Orland

R. Kenneth Lindell is running on the Republican ticket for a House seat. His Democratic challenger is Orland resident Kent Price.

Lindell said he supports efforts to create a constitutional limit on state spending to the rate of inflation plus state population growth. Lindell said Maine should follow Colorado’s lead which passed similar legislation in 1992 resulting in cuts in taxes on income, capital gains, interest, dividends and business property. “The results have been that Colorado has become a premier destination for relocating businesses and has actually brought in more revenue for schools and infrastructure projects,” Lindell said.

Lindell said he is undecided about the Palesky tax cap initiative. He proposes allowing counties to keep 100% of the real estate transfer tax, sending more state funds to schools and municipalities to pay the cost of state mandates, while eliminating redundant state departments and bureaucracies and demanding a hiring freeze on state employees.

On the issue of single-payer health insurance Lindell suggests that the state look to other states and countries for answers to lower health care costs. He cited Switzerland as an example, saying that country has universal coverage with a competitive private sector health insurance market that is “less costly and of better quality than any of the other socialized medicine models in the developed world.”

On the topic of small business, Lindell has outlined specifics at www.fixmaine.com. These ideas include abolishing the business equipment tax, establishing a high risk health insurance pool to lower health care costs and bring workers compensation, unemployment benefits and labor regulations in line with those of other New England States.

Price said he is opposed to placing constitution limits on state spending or taxes. “Government must retain the flexibility to respond to emergencies when necessary,” he told the Midcoast Review. He said the Palesky initiative would “sharply curtail municipal services, destroy home rule, and bestow an unwarranted gift on wealthy property owners, a significant proportion of whom do not live in Maine.”

Price said gambling is “a concealed tax on those who least can afford it and I oppose it on both ethical and social justice grounds.” He said he favors single-payer health insurance but said it must be addressed at the federal level.

On the topic of small business, Price said making the Dirigo health plan viable would be the single most important encouragement the state could offer small business. Price said he is opposed to a liquid natural gas terminal in Maine but would support a terminal in areas outside the state that are already industrialized or offshore facilities.
Price believes while tourism is important, Maine needs to diversify its economy. He suggests Maine develop a state of the art information technology network to boost Internet-related businesses and a research-oriented medical school that would draw science-based companies and benefit Maine people.

House District 43
Belfast, Belmont and Northport

Democratic incumbent Walter E. Ash Jr. will be seeking his third term in office, opposed by Republican newcomer Jayne Crosby Giles.

Ash operates East Side Auto and has served 12 years on the Belfast City Council. He said he is “on the fence” about a constitutional amendment limiting state spending and taxation and said a yes vote on the Palesky tax cap initiative would decimate needed municipal services. He said while not personally opposed to gambling, he does feel that the revenue garnered from gambling would not offset increased social and law enforcement costs.

Ash said while he voted in support of the state’s Dirigo health care insurance plan, he feels the cost of insurance, even under Dirigo, is still too high for small businesses to absorb. In regard to small business he said the state needs to create tax incentives and lower insurance costs to make it more business friendly. On the issue of locating a liquid natural gas terminal along the coast, Ash said he would leave it up to the communities sited for location of a terminal to decide that issue. He said he supports tourism being the state’s major industry. “It’s clean and appealing,” he told the Midcoast Review.

Giles said she supports a constitutional amendment to limit state spending, saying that state spending has risen at nearly twice the rate of inflation during the past decade. “I support legislation to place a cap on the annual growth rate of Maine’s state budget to keep spending in line with taxpayers’ personal income growth,” Giles told the Midcoast Review.

As public debate unfolds on the Palesky tax cap initiative, Giles blames inaction in Augusta for Palesky surfacing.

“Voters appear to be faced with a decision to save their homes or save their police department,” she said. “This is a decision no voter should ever have to make.”
In regard to health care insurance, Giles said she does not support a single-payer healthcare system. She said the state’s new Dirigo health plan fails on two fronts. First it assumes all small business owners can afford 60% of the cost of their employee’s premium. Second, it assumes that in order to reduce the cost of health care, Maine needs to eliminate local hospitals in favor of large, regional medical centers. “Waldo County residents are served by an excellent hospital and smaller, local health care facilities,” she told the Midcoast Review, “Under Dirigo, we may be forced to drive to Portland or Boston for medical services. This is not in the best interest of Maine people and as a legislator, I would support legislation to stop this move.”

In regard to small business, Giles pointed to a 2002 business survey conducted by the Maine Economic Research Institute where 89% of the business owners felt that doing business in Maine was more costly than other states. The top reasons for this were: high taxes, high healthcare costs, high worker’s comp rates, and higher than normal insurance costs.

On the issue of taxes Giles said the state should consider eliminating the personal property tax for businesses with less than $2 million in annual sales. Additionally, tax incentives should be provided for new job creation and training.

A blue-ribbon commission should be created to examine the state’s total insurance costs, Giles said and several other objectives should be pursued to promote small businesses in Maine including streamlining and fast-tracking the business regulatory process; reducing the overall tax burden; encouraging small business growth and entrepreneurship and developing a quality business environment—creative, competitive and affordable.

As far as tourism being the state’s major industry, Giles said the state needs to maintain a diverse economy. “In addition to tourism, we need manufacturing, financial services, technology, aquaculture, forestry, agriculture, construction, creative arts, learning and more,” she said.

Giles is a Belfast native and employed by Camden National Bank in Belfast. She co-chaired a $5 million capital campaign to build the first YMCA in Waldo County and is a former president of the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce. She has served on the city of Belfast Economic Development Committee. Giles and her husband, Mike, have been married for 17 years. The couple has three grown children and one grandchild.

House District 44
Appleton, Hope, Islesboro, Liberty, Lincolnville, Morrill, Searsmont

Republican H. Robert Plausse and Democrat Barbara Merrill will be vying for this newly created district, being left vacant by Independent Gary Sukeforth who decided not to seek re-election to a second term in the House.

Merrill said at this time she is not supportive of a constitutional amendment to curb state spending and that the legislature has a spending limit in place. “I am dedicated to making it work,” she told the Midcoast Review, “If and when it does not, I will consider a constitutional measure.”

She said she opposes the Palesky initiative because it takes away local control, will force the state to cut needed programs, may be unconstitutional and will shift the tax burden away from wealthy out-of-state property owners and onto Maine’s small businesses and working families.

Merrill said she doesn’t consider gambling to be a good revenue source for the state and would not support expanding existing gambling avenues. Merrill said she supports Dirigo but doesn’t think Maine can or should try to create a single-payer system. She said in order to boost small business in Maine, the state needs to make Dirigo work for small businesses and reshape tax laws to encourage business growth. Merrill said she would support a natural gas terminal but only with community backing of the plan and provided the terminal met all enviro nmental concerns and safeguards from possible terrorist attack.

Merrill is a University of Maine School of Law graduate. She has represented many clients before the legislature and has been recognized by the Maine Bar Foundation for exemplary pro bono work in family law. She lives in Appleton with her husband and two children.

Republican challenger Plausse said he is supportive of limiting government spending to the rate of inflation and population growth. He said he is opposed to the Palesky tax cap initiative, saying it will take away local control and may be unconstitutional. He said he is opposed to gambling, saying it thrives on the poor and any revenues gained are offset by higher crime, bankruptcy and debt issues.

Plausse said he is opposed to a single-payer health insurance plan. He is opposed to the state’s Dirigo plan, saying many small business owners can find less expensive health insurance elsewhere. He said the state has to stop taxing hospitals, MaineCare has to start paying a greater percentage of medical costs and malpractice insurance costs need to be lowered.

He said small business is the “guts” of the Maine economy but has been “regulated to death” in Augusta. He said workers’ compensation needs to be reduced, the tax structure for businesses needs to be evaluated and there needs to be more vocational training and partnering between schools and businesses to provide a trained work
force to keep young people in state. Plausse told the Midcoast Review he would be in favor of an offshore liquid gas terminal. He said while tourism is important it should not be the state’s major industry.

Plausse is a second term selectmen in Lincolnville and is retired from hospital administration. This is his 20th year serving on various municipal boards and committees, the bulk of those being in Massachusetts where he resided for many years. He is also an incorporator at Waldo County Hospital.

House District 46
Camden and Rockport

It’s a three-way race for a House seat to represent Camden and Rockport voters. Republican incumbent Stephen Bowen is seeking his second term. Democratic opponent Susan Dorr will try to win back her seat from Bowen this fall while Marc Bedner is running on the Green independent ticket.

Bedner said he is against a generalized spending cap for state government. He said he opposes any property tax cap because it would “provide a tax break to out-of-state owners while forcing Mainers to pay higher taxes or face a cut in local services.”
The Camden resident said he doesn’t believe gambling provides a dependable source of state revenue and that he is a strong advocate of universal single-payer health care. Bedner said he is opposed to a liquid natural gas terminal along the Maine coast.

Bedner also said while tourism is important to the state, there is also a need to diversify Maine’s economy. He said establishing a single-payer health care system would be key in helping Maine grow business.

Bowen said state spending is “out of control and suffocating the economy of the state.” To that end, Bowen said he would support a constitutional amendment forcing any state budget proposal which spends over the rate of inflation to have of a two-thirds vote of approval in Augusta before enactment. He said that amendment should also contain provisions to prevent the state from shifting the burden to counties and towns.

The Rockport resident said the Palesky tax cap initiative takes a “complicated and clearly unconstitutional approach” to cut government spending. He said a property tax cap would do the most damage to towns by “eroding local control and expand the power and influence of the most unmanageable level of government, the state.”

Bowen said he opposes state lotteries but not casinos because casinos create jobs. He said he is against single-payer health insurance. He advocates instead market-based reforms like medical savings accounts, which, Bowen said, when matched with changes to Maine’s health care regulations could lower premium costs dramatically.

Bowen said the state needs “a dramatic change in attitude toward business.” He said the state should have a Small Business Advocate’s office and that the state’s Office of Program Evaluation should look at ways to streamline regulations hoisted on small businesses. The state should also conform its tax code to the federal tax code to simplify paperwork for businesses, Bowen said. “Maine needs to get spending under control and cut taxes, which would funnel more money back into the economy and back into local small businesses,” Bowen told the Midcoast Review.

Dorr said the last four budgets passed by legislators in Augusta have all been within the spending levels suggested by proponents of a constitutional amendment. Dorr said she opposes the Palesky initiative because it “will plunge many municipalities into desperate conditions until the state adjusts the tax structure to cover the shortfalls that will result.” She said the tax cap initiative will result in severe cutbacks in municipal services and employment.

Dorr said while revenues from gambling could be seen as a benefit she opposes gambling because it targets “those who have the least” and “are seduced by the false hope of a quick gain.” She said while serving in the 120th legislature she voted for single-payer health care proposals and is hopeful the state’s Dirigo plan, due to roll out in October, will provide health care insurance access to small businesses. On the topic of small business, Dorr pointed to an action plan drafted by the Democratic Working Group on Small Business as a way to address some of the concerns of small business owners. The group, made up of legislators, consultants and business owners is hopeful their plan will translate into legislation to facilitate business growth in Maine.

“Among the goals of the plan are to streamline paperwork and reporting for businesses, to provide targeted assistance to some of our unique resource-based industries, to create a stable and predictable tax environment and support the growth of entrepreneurial training in the community college system,” Dorr told the Midcoast Review.

Dorr said she has environmental concerns about hosting a natural gas terminal along the coast and that Maine should continue to diversify its economy through entrepreneurial and Internet-based businesses and not rely solely on tourism. Dorr lives in Camden and is a real estate broker and caterer. She has served on the Camden Select board since 1999.

House District 47
Rockland, Parts of Owls Head

It’s a three-way race for a House seat to represent Rockland and Owls Head voters left vacant by outgoing Rep. Deborah K. McNeil who is not seeking re-election. Democratic candidate Edward J. Mazurek will be running against Republican candidate Douglas W. Curtis and Green Party candidate Lynne A. Williams.

Williams said she opposes a constitutional amendment to limit state spending and taxation and the Palesky tax cap initiative. She said a constitutional amendment is “too rigid” saying needs and resources change and the state has to have budgeting flexibility. Williams said she knows first hand the devastating affects of a property tax cap. “I lived in California for more than two decades, moving there prior to the implementation of Prop 13 and living there for twenty years after. Prop 13 essentially decimated what was one of the best school systems in the nation, as well as institutionalizing an inequitable property tax system. Those who were lucky enough to have become homeowners prior to the passage of Prop 13 were subsidized by new owners,” Williams told the Midcoast Review.

Williams said she has no moral objections to gambling and approaches the issue of state sponsored gambling on a “case by case” basis. On the issue of health care, Williams said she favors a single-payer healthcare system and believes it is the only way to provide universal health care coverage to Mainers.

On the subject of small business Williams said she would like to see the same tax incentives and benefits, such as TIFs which are offered to big business, extended to small business as well. She cited a specific example of allocating funds to give small businesses which rehabilitate vacant downtown storefronts a six-month break in rent and utilities or other financial incentives.

“As a small business owner myself, I know that the upfront costs are the big barrier to long term success in a small business. If more of the business owner’s capitol could be preserved at start up time, they would be less likely to fail for lack of capitol,” Williams said. Williams said she would also urge the state to reinstitute the sales tax exemption/resale exemption for artists and artisans that earn less than $10,000 per year from their art or craft.

Williams said she opposes a liquid natural gas terminal along the coast, saying it would “irreparably damage our fishing and lobstering industries which are not only part of our heritage but a viable economic vehicle in this state.” She said that instead, she would like to see the state cultivate business partnerships with the alternative energy industry.
“...alternative energy companies that manufacture wind turbines, photovoltaic equipment, and fuel cells, could bring much to Maine. Other states that cultivate this sector of the economy have demonstrated that the jobs that these businesses create are well-paying and are also jobs that many of those who have been displaced from the manufacturing and mill sector could be retrained for,” she told the Midcoast Review.

The Rockland resident has her own law practice in Camden. She represented the Route One widening protestors in 2002 and anti-war protestors in Augusta, Bangor and Portland. She is a member on various open space and alternative transportation committees. She has worked as a legislative aide, community organizer and anti-nuclear activist. She is a member of the Family Advisory Council for the Program for Children with Special Health Care Needs and is on the steering committee of the Maine Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. She has written various articles and op-ed pieces for the Bangor Daily News, Law and Human Behavior, the Monthly Review, Placement Magazine and Toward Freedom.

Democratic challenger Edward Mazurek currently sits as Rockland’s Mayor on the City Council. He said he is concerned that a constitutional amendment to curtail state spending would debilitate the state in times of crisis when emergency funds may be needed. He said he opposes the Palesky tax cap initiative saying it shifts the tax burden onto local communities. He said any state-sponsored gambling initiatives need “heavy regulations” to get his support.

On the subject of health care, Mazurek said the state’s Dirigo health care plan is “a step in the right direction” but questions the funding of the program, in particular the cost borne by small business employees. He said he would support a universal health care plan.

Mazurek told the Midcoast Review “it’s hard to do business in the state of Maine.” He said if elected, he would look to lower workers compensation costs and ease up state regulations on small businesses. He said he would support a liquid natural gas terminal saying it could be the answer to lowering high energy costs for the state but only if the project does not harm the state’s fishing industry or environment.

Mazurek is a retired educator and has been a Rockland resident for 28 years. He has served on various city boards and committees. He has been mayor for the past two years and this is his first run at state office.

Republican candidate Douglas Curtis said he is in favor of limiting state spending to keep it in line with the cost of living and population growth. He said he feels the Palesky tax cap initiative is “too drastic” and will cut essential municipal services. He said he is against state-sponsored gambling across the board and said the Dirigo plan is “not perfect but a step in the right direction.”

On the subject of small business, Curtis said, if elected, he would modify state regulations that are a “hardship financially and time-wise” on small business. He said he favors a liquid natural gas terminal to lower energy costs in the state. He said while he is a strong advocate of a strong tourist industry in the state, he would encourage new industry to offset unpredictability in the tourist sector.

Curtis is a retired Rockland grocer. He is a former state representative, serving in the 107th legislature and has served on the SAD 5 Board of Directors and the Region 8 vocational schools.

House District 48
Matinicus Island, Vinalhaven, Owls Head, St. George, South Thomaston and Thomaston

Republican incumbent Chris Rector will be seeking a second term in the House facing off against Democratic challenger Mary June Smith.

Rector, who is self-employed and lives in Thomaston, supports a constitutional amendment to cap state spending. He said he would favor an amendment that would tie state spending to the rate of inflation and population growth. “Any additional funds beyond the approved levels of spending growth would be used to fund a “rainy day” fund and be returned in the form of tax reductions,” Rector told the Midcoast Review.

Rector said the Palesky tax cap initiative is “treating the symptom, excessive taxes, and not treating the disease, excessive government spending.” He also opposes the measure because it undermines local control and believes it will have “serious ramifications” on education and municipal services. “For those who say they want to ‘send a message to the legislature,’ why would you support this?” Rector said, “It gives greater power to the very legislature that has led voters to such a level of frustration.”

Rector said he is against gambling and on the issue of health care feels that Maine does not have the “economic ability” to support a single-payer health care system. He said Maine should look instead at fully funding existing health care programs and reducing mandates on health care coverage, allowing medical savings accounts and supporting wellness programs to bring down the cost of health insurance and diminish the number of uninsured in Maine.

On the subject of small business, Rector said the state should leave small business alone and stop adding regulations, additional reporting requirements and new mandates. He said he would like to see the state roll back the resale certificate laws and look at reducing health care insurance premiums for businesses.

“I think Maine Products Marketing Program should be expanded to allow greater opportunities for Maine’s micro businesses to expose their products to the marketplace. I believe that we need to offer low-cost and no-cost training to businesses in marketing to assist in developing businesses in a sustainable way,” he told the Midcoast Review.

Rector said any liquid natural gas terminal must be developed with the cooperation and consent of the host community and its region. And on the subject of tourism being a major player in the state’s economy, Rector said he feels that tourism is an important gateway to developing business opportunities in Maine but that the state needs to diversify its economy.

“While I believe we must continue to strive for a diversified economy, tourism is often the first introduction for executives who later move their businesses to Maine,” he said. “We must be certain that as we support our expanding tourist economy we do not do so at the expense of other areas where Maine has particular market strengths, including specialty manufacturing, biotechnology, publishing, aquaculture and marine related industries, boat building and the creative economy.”

Smith, a St. George resident, said any move to limit state spending and taxation through a constitutional amendment would “tie the hands of the legislature” in meeting any financial crisis or change that may arise. Smith said she feels the Palesky tax cap initiative is “too drastic.”

“As a property owner, I understand the frustration felt around the state, especially here on the coast where the burden is especially heavy, Smith told the Midcoast Review, “The Palesky tax cap will affect the things we rely on. Fire and police departments, town government and schools, and if you do the math it’s easy to see who will really benefit. People who own property worth millions will save enormous amounts of money. People with property like me will save a few hundred dollars. The Palesky proposal is not about solving the tax burden, it’s about trying to cap spending. There is a huge difference.”

On the subject of gambling, Smith said she would leave that up to voters to decide. Switching gears to the issue of health care, Smith said she favors universal health care and believes the Dirigo health plan is a “good start.” She said the health care issue is one of the most crucial issues facing small businesses here in Maine. She said she advocates pooling small businesses, the self-employed and individuals into a large group to bargain for a better price tag on health care.

Smith said she is leaving any decision about a liquid natural gas terminal along the coast up to the communities that would be hosting it. She said it is crucial for the state to continue to protect the health and beauty of the coast to protect industries like fishing and tourism.

House District 49
Cushing, Friendship, Union and Warren

Democratic candidate Jeffrey P. Evangelos will face off against Republican Wesley E. Richardson for a House seat in Augusta after incumbent Gary Sukeforth announced he will not be seeking re-election.

Richardson is the former president of Waldoboro Bank and is currently a real estate investor. This is his first run at state office. The Warren resident has served on the Knox County budget committee and the SAD 40 Board of Directors.

Richardson said he is against a constitutional amendment to curb state spending, saying the legislature needs flexibility in case of unforeseen economic downturns. He said he favors the Palesky tax cap initiative. “I lived in Massachusetts until 1981 where a tax cap was put into place and I’ve seen it work,” he told the Midcoast Review, “It is a horror for the first couple of years but it forces government to have checks and balances in managing money.”

Richardson said he also favors gambling and said he voted in favor of the ill-fated plan for a casino in Maine. “I feel that it is something we lost. It became a lifestyle issue instead of looking at it as a revenue source,” he said. On the issue of healthcare, Richardson said he has concerns about state-managed Dirigo health care plan. Turning his thoughts to small business, Richardson said he feels the state needs to set up an infrastructure to lure big businesses, such as MBNA to the state. He said big businesses are the magnet that attracts small businesses.

Richardson said he favors a liquid natural gas terminal in the state but only with the host communities’ approval and safeguards that it will not interfere with the fishing industry. He said while tourism is a “wonderful thing” for the state, legislators need to focus on building a better business climate in Maine.

Evangelos said he supports tax reform and relief for Mainers but not in the form of a constitutional amendment capping state spending nor the Palesky tax cap initiative. “The state of Maine may need to respond to future emergencies and cannot be hamstrung by gimmicks. The Maine State Chamber of Commerce’s recent proposals limiting tax increases to inflation and people’s ability to pay are steps in the right direction,” Evangelos said.

He called the tax cap a “bad deal” for Maine residents and small businesses. “Our local towns do a good job of providing services. Non-resident corporations and wealthy non-resident property owners are the only ones who benefit under the tax cap proposal, while Mainers will suffer the consequences,” he told the Midcoast Review.
Evangelos said instead of a tax cap, the state should increase the Homestead Exemption.

In regard to gambling, Evangelos said he supports the racino proposal for Bangor and said while he remains neutral on Powerball and casinos he has “legitimate concerns regarding the social cost impact of casino gambling in Maine.”

As a small business owner himself, Evangelos said he feels health insurance costs are the number one concern of small business owners. “Many entrepreneurs simply cannot afford health insurance for their families or employees,” he said. He said a single payer system would be fair and affordable and that Maine’s Dirigo Health Plan is a step in the right direction. Evangelos also advocates giving tax credits to small businesses that create jobs in Maine.

On the subject of a natural liquid gas terminal Evangelos said he feels it is a local issue for each town to decide. “I would be opposed to any development along our coast that threatens the livelihoods of our working waterfronts,” he said.

Evangelos said he is a strong proponent of Maine’s tourism industry, especially with the recent loss of manufacturing jobs in the state. “Maine’s economy must play to its strengths. Tourism is one of these strengths, along with marine resources and forest products. The state of Maine has a competitive advantage in the area of tourism and I will support promotion efforts that maintain our first class status as a tourist destination.

House District 50
Bremen, half of Jefferson, Nobleboro, Waldoboro

Democrat Clinton E. Collamore said he is running for office because voters in his district haven’t had a choice when it comes to who represents them in Augusta. GOP incumbent David A. Trahan ran unopposed during the last election and is seeking his fourth and final term.

Both candidates live in Waldoboro. Collamore worked at Bath Iron Works for 20 years, acting as president and vice-president of the shipbuilders union there. He is currently a full-time student at the University of Maine studying for a bachelor’s degree in public administration. He served 10 years on the Waldoboro Board of Selectmen, four of those years as its chairman.

He told the Midcoast Review that instead of a constitutional amendment capping state spending, legislators need to ensure the state pays 55 percent of the cost of education, a move approved by voters in 1986 but yet to be followed through in Augusta. Collamore said he opposed the Palesky tax cap initiative. “This will hurt local government. We need tax reform,” he said.

Switching gears, Collamore said he doesn’t think the state should be in the gambling business and on the issue of health care, said he is “willing to give Dirigo a try.” Collamore stressed that the state needs to form a partnership with small business and work toward a climate and infrastructure conducive to small business growth. “We talk about achieving an educated workforce but what good will that do if the state remains unfriendly toward business and that educated workforce gets jobs out-of-state?” he asked.

Collamore said while tourism is important he felt the state’s economy shouldn’t be dependent upon it. He said legislators need to open the doors to help small business flourish to keep jobs in Maine.

Incumbent Trahan is hopeful that legislation he authored and the legislature approved will put a real dent in curbing state spending. Beginning in January a team of independent professional evaluators will examine existing state programs to trim any excess and ax redundancies. Trahan said 44 states already use this internal accounting system and said in 2001 South Carolina saved $43 million in government spending, Florida $270 million and Texas over $567 million.

Trahan joined other legislators in opposing the Palesky tax cap initiative. “People are angry at the legislature for not listening to them. They need to replace legislators that don’t listen rather than pass some sweeping legislation that I feel is unconstitutional and could end up in court for years,” he told the Midcoast Review.

Trahan said he does not support state-sponsored gambling, saying it takes a “disproportionate amount of money from the poorest people.” On the subject of health care, Trahan said he did support the state’s new Dirigo health plan but is not in favor of the state taking over the health care insurance business, saying he fears it would be mismanaged.

On the subject of small business, Trahan said the state should “give business a chance to breathe” and place a moratorium on regulations, reporting mandates and fees. He said Maine needs to revisit tax requirements for businesses and provide affordable health care insurance to Mainers. Trahan has been a small business owner for 21 years.

“There also needs to be some kind of initiative to keep our workforce of young people here,” he told the Midcoast Review. He said he is hopeful a newly formed task force, slated to begin meeting after next month’s elections, called the State Work Action Tactic Team or SWATT will provide some answers. The group, made up of members from the University of Maine, labor, business and government representatives will look at the issue of keeping Maine’s youth in state with jobs. The group is looking at linking students with business needs and training in specialized areas.

In regard to a liquid natural gas terminal, Trahan said he believes in local control but would like to see a community adopt the terminal, “to have an affordable energy source.”

As far as tourism being the state’s major industry, Trahan said he feels the state must diversify its economy and become more business-friendly. “Maine is unique geographically and so, in my opinion, has to go beyond what a normal state would do to attract business here,” he said. The state needs to market its workforce better, Trahan said and hopes the new SWATT task force will provide some direction.

House District 51
Bristol, Damariscotta, Edgecomb, Monhegan Plantation, Newcastle and South Bristol

Democratic incumbent William M. Earle will try to thwart a challenge from Republican candidate Jonathan B. McKane for a seat in the House to represent voters in Lincoln County. Earle did not respond to a mailed questionnaire or phone calls placed to his home for response to the Midcoast Review’s candidate survey.

This is McKane’s first run at state office. The Newcastle resident has owned his own electrical contracting business since 1980 and has served on the Damariscotta budget committee. He said he is running not on “partisan issues but people issues,” saying while state spending has gone up, the state’s median income has dropped. “There needs to be a change in leadership. The legislature is aloof, disconnected and out of touch with its constituency,” McKane told the Midcoast Review.

He said he supports a constitutional amendment to curb state spending and called himself a “reluctant supporter” of the Palesky tax cap initiative. “I don’t think it should have gotten this far. People in this state have been pleading for tax relief but the legislature has done nothing,” he said.

McKane said he is opposed to gambling in the state, saying it “targets the lowest income person.” On the topic of health care, McKane said he is “open-minded” to exploring alternatives to the current health care insurance system but says he has yet to hear one plan that will “work.” He called the state’s new Dirigo Health Plan “too complicated” and said a possible start to healing high health care costs would be to ease insurance mandates and regulations in the state. He suggested the state look into establishing “risk pools” to lower health care costs for “healthy” individuals.
On the topic of small business, McKane said Augusta needs an “attitude change” saying that for far too long the state has used small business as an “ATM machine.” McKane said he would like to see overtime pay for workers in line with federal standards.

When it comes to having a liquid natural gas terminal in the state, McKane said the decision should be left up to the communities affected. He said while tourism is important, the state needs to stop “being hostile” to business and work to attract different industries. He said the state’s Pine Tree Zones are not the answer.

House District 53
Alna, Dresden, Pittston and Wiscasset

Billie G. Willard has been a chef for the last 20 years and said it is time to “trim the fat in Maine’s budget.” The Maine native said she wants to work to cut taxes and provide affordable health care for Mainers. Being a former small business owner, she said her impetus to run for state office is to help small business owners.

The Republican challenger will be running against Democratic incumbent Peter L. Rines who is making his third bid for the House this fall.

Willard did not take a clear stand on any proposals for a constitutional amendment to cap state spending but said she is opposed to the Palesky tax cap initiative, saying it will hurt municipal budgets. “But this is a wakeup call to government to cut spending,” she said.

She said she is opposed to casinos but not Powerball. On the issue of health care costs, she said the state’s new Dirigo health plan is still “too high priced.” She said she is “on the fence” about single-payer health care insurance and said the state should look to cut some of the regulations it hoists on the insurance industry as a way to bring affordable health care to Maine.

The First Selectman of Alna said she has environmental concerns about bringing a liquid natural gas terminal into the state and said Augusta needs to stop partisan politics and work together to diversify Maine’s economy and make it a more business friendly state.

Rines has supported tax reform legislation in Augusta but said he is against any move for a constitutional amendment limiting state spending and taxation. He said he also opposes the Palesky tax cap initiative saying it is too drastic and is a “simple solution to a complex problem.”

Rines said the state has been inconsistent in its policy on gambling. He said he supports gambling as long as there are strong regulations in place and a larger percentage of the profits go toward education.

Rines said he is unsure if single-payer health care insurance is the right path to follow. On the topic of small business, he said the current work in the legislature on the Maine Small Business Bill of Rights is a good start in creating a partnership between the state and small business. He said he would like to see a liquid natural gas terminal in the state but said the issue is a local one and he favors allowing local host communities to decide the issue.

On the topic of tourism being the state’s major industry, Rines said Maine should not “put all its eggs in one basket.” He said current work to create Pine Tree Zones in the state is a good start. Rines is a technical college employee and lives in Wiscasset.

House District 61
Arrowsic, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Georgetown, Southport, Westport Island

Democratic candidate W. Bruce MacDonald and Republican George R. Bishop, Jr., are running for the House seat vacated by Ken Honey who is not seeking re-election to the legislature. Neither candidate responded to the mailed questionnaire or phone calls placed to their home for response to the Midcoast Review’s candidate survey.

Senate District 20
In Lincoln County, the municipalities of Alna, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Edgecomb, Hibberts Gore, Jefferson, Monhegan, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Somerville, South Bristol, Southport, Waldoboro, Westport Island, Whitefield and Wiscasset; and in Knox County, the municipalities of Friendship and Washington; and in Kennebec County, the municipality of Windsor.

Democratic incumbent Christopher G. Hall is making his bid for a second term in the Senate facing off against Republican challenger Dana L. Dow.

Hall said he opposes a constitutional amendment on state spending and taxation. “We tinker with the constitution for political advantage at our peril,” Hall said.

The Bristol Mills resident said he also opposes the Palesky tax cap initiative because it shifts the burden of school costs from out-of-state taxpayers onto Maine residents.

“Palesky is cutting off our nose to spite our face. There is a real problem with property tax fairness in a time of rapidly changing property values. Let’s target tax relief at those who need it,” Hall told the Midcoast Review.

Hall said he also opposes state-sponsored gambling but supports single-payer healthcare initiatives, saying he feels it is inevitable that “America will recognize health care as a right, as it is in the rest of the civilized world” and feels that a single-payer plan is the answer to rising health care insurance costs.

On the topic of healthcare, Hall said the state can help small business by providing affordable health care. He also said the state can be more business friendly by easing the burden of regulations, permits and reports it requires from businesses. He also advocates improving the state’s internet infrastructure, especially working to bring broadband to rural areas and finally “leveling the playing field by stopping subsidies and handouts to big businesses.”

As the senate’s Utilities and Energy Committee chairman Hall said he favors a liquid natural gas terminal but said it needs to be located in the proper spot. As far as tourism being a major player in the Maine economy, Hall said the state needs more year-round jobs. Hall also sits on the senate’s Business, Research and Economic Development Committee.

“I have worked to ensure the midcoast is getting Pine Tree Zones to attract manufacturing and high-tech businesses,” Hall said. “The creative economy is bringing diverse new jobs to the midcoast, and we should not forget that many of these entrepreneurs first came here as tourists.”

Hall was elected to the Senate in 2002 after two years in the House. He moved to Maine from his native England twenty-four years ago. He has served as President of the Genesis Community Loan Fund and on the Board of the Maine Council of Churches and is a founding member of both the Morris Farm Trust in Wiscasset and the W.W.& F. Railway Museum in Alna. He has served on the Miles Hospital Community Advisory Board and Bristol’s Budget and Comprehensive Plan Committees. He currently works as a management consultant for economic and community development throughout Maine.

Newcomer Dana Dow is making tax reform his top priority, even authoring “The Dow Plan.” Highlights of the plan aimed at lowering taxes include reducing the size of Maine’s legislature, establishing a state spending cap and making Medicaid pay its fair share of medical costs and the state pay its fair share of education costs.

Dow said he favors a constitutional amendment limiting state spending to no more than the prior year’s budget plus the rate of inflation. Dow said he opposes the Palesky tax cap initiative, saying the state needs tax reform not just for property taxes but on all taxes including income, corporate, inheritance and excise taxes.

In regard to gambling, Dow said he has no moral issues with gambling but would like to see a greater percentage of profits from racinos go to fund state fairs. On the health care issue, Dow said he is “willing to give Dirigo a chance” but is concerned that the plan is too costly for small businesses and has concerns about the state managing the health care insurance industry.

Dow said the biggest enemy of small business in the state of Maine is regulations. “We are the 48th worst state to do business in,” Dow told the Midcoast Review, “We are not even on business’ radar screen when they are looking to relocate.” Dow said lowering taxes and health care costs like he outlines in his Dow Plan would encourage investment in Maine.

Dow said he would encourage a liquid natural gas terminal saying it would bring good paying jobs but that it must have community support. “I don’t believe in forcing this on a community,” he said.

Dow is owner of Dow Furniture since 1977 and lives in Waldoboro with his wife Lisa and four children. He is a former chemistry and physics teacher at Medomak Valley High School and has served as Waldoboro’s town moderator and on the town’s planning board and comprehensive plan committee.

Senate District 22
All of Knox County except Friendship and Washington

Democratic challenger Marian M. Swan will be seeking to oust veteran legislator Christine Savage from her senate seat this fall.

Swan said property tax relief is a top priority with her but said she opposes this November’s referendum to place a cap on property taxes. Swan said while she understands taxpayer frustration she does not support the measure which will “give large tax breaks to out of state property tax holders and leave our local communities with virtually no money after schools and county government are paid for.”

The Rockland resident also said she is concerned with protecting the state’s working waterfront, a major issue here in Knox County.” I would like to see our working waterfront’s property taxes based on its current use rather than what someone would pay for it as a site for a condo,” she said.

Swan said she also opposes any constitutional amendment to limit state spending. “It would make it more difficult for the state to deal with problems such as property tax relief, one of the major problems facing this state,” she said “It also would encourage the state to pass unfunded mandates to our communities, putting even more pressure on property taxes. Maine’s constitution already requires a balanced budget, a major component of fiscal responsibility.”

On the issue of gambling, Swan said she opposes casinos, supports Powerball and racinos in limited locations. When it comes to solving the high cost of health care, Swan said she wants to give Dirigo a chance. “Maine’s self employed individuals and small businesses desperately need help with health insurance, and I hope and expect Dirigo will provide that help,” she said.

Swan said Pine Tree Zones and the Dirigo Health Plan should go a long way in providing small business with a more business-friendly climate here in Maine.

Swan said she opposes a liquid natural gas terminal, citing concerns over its possible impact on the fishing industry. On the issue of tourism being the state’s major industry, Swan said the state needs a diverse economy to insure its stability. “The state should support and promote our natural based industries, such as fishing and farming and it should support our locally based small businesses,” she told the Midcoast Review.

Republican incumbent Christine Savage will be seeking her sixth term in Augusta. She served three terms in the House before becoming a senator and said she wants to return to the statehouse to stop state overspending. To that end, she said she supports a constitutional amendment to cap government spending to the rate of population growth plus inflation. “Maine spending has been growing more than twice the rate of inflation, had a constitutional limit been in place 10 years ago spending would be about $400 million less today,” she told the Midcoast Review.

The Union resident said she opposes the Palesky proposal because of its “draconian approach” to property tax relief “with no thought to the ramification on municipal services people need and have come to expect.”

She said voters spoke to the issue of gambling last year when they shot down a casino proposal but approved racinos only at commercial racetracks. On the issue of health care, Savage said she opposes a government-run single payer health care insurance program. “Having said that, I realize there are many who are not covered by health insurance but I am uncertain Dirigo Health will offer coverage any less than can be bought currently.” She said the expansion of Maine Care to support enrollees “may be putting the state in a precarious financial situation.” She said Maine should shop out of state for medical coverage where costs are less.

What can the state do to help small business? “Electing business-friendly legislators would be a good start. One only need to review the Maine Voter Guide to know there are differences,” she told the Midcoast Review.

Savage said she has concerns over the impact a liquid natural gas terminal may have on the environment and fishing industry. On the subject of tourism Savage said while it continues to be a major revenue generator, employment opportunities and income are unpredictable. “Maine’s investment in research is producing results with work opportunities and hopefully will be an area for our new graduates to obtain employment to allow them to stay in their home state,” she said.

State Senate District 23
Belfast, Belmont, Brooks, Burnham, Frankfort, Freedom, Islesboro, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Lincolnville, Monroe, Montville, Morrill, Northport, Palermo, Prospect, Searsmont, Searsport, Stockton Springs, Swanville, Thorndike, Troy, Unity, Waldo and Winterport

Democrat Peter Misluk of Searsmont is challenging Montville’s Republican incumbent Carol Weston for the Dist 23 Senate seat in Waldo County. Due to an unintentional oversight, we contacted these candidates too late to interview prior to going to press. The Midcoast Review regrets the omission

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