8 OCTOBER 29, 2010 | NEWS + FEATURES | THE PORTLAND PHOENIX
SEEKING THE STATE HOUSE HOUSE DISTRICT 113
WOULD YOU Vote to allocate funding to widen I-295?
WOULD YOU Vote to cut tax breaks for businesses?
WOULD YOU Vote to increase: a) income taxes on Maine’s ultra-wealthiest residents, or b) meals/lodging taxes on those who vacation (or staycation) in Maine?
WOULD YOU
Vote to expand: a) Medicaid/MaineCare eligibility to more Mainers or b) government subsidies for Mainers to use to reduce the cost of private health insurance?
WHAT IS Your first choice of legislative committee on which to serve?
HOUSE DISTRICT 115
MARK DION*
JASON HARRIS
PATRICK CALDER
PETER STUCKEY*
SETH BERNER*
STEPHEN LOVEJOY
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
REPUBLICAN
DEMOCRAT
GREEN INDEPENDENT
DEMOCRAT
No. Available funding should be directed towards alternative transportation models.
Yes, I would support funding to widen I295. Portland is growing, and I think its most significant roadway needs to grow as well.
Depends on how much funding we’re talking about. My gut response is “no.”
No.
No.
No, we have much more important things to fund at this time.
No. Tax strategies should focus on “freeing” dollars for joint business-government development opportunities.
No. Maine was just voted 50th out of 50 on the list of states conducive to doing business. We need to help small business — not hamper it.
Businesses are already taxed too much. I would not vote to tax them more.
Yes, and I would propose using the revenue to create more subsidized child care and affordable health care, more access to vocational and higher education, and more investment in our cyber and physical infrastructures.
Yes, though I would consider ways of helping small Mainebased businesses.
I would vote to cut tax breaks under the BETR and BETE programs for out-ofstate companies, or companies that do not have offices and employees here in Maine
a) No. We should work toward reducing income tax rates for all brackets. b) Yes.
Neither! It’s because of the tax rate that many of our well-todo residents leave Maine for other states.
I support a progressive income tax, but it’s not a good idea to excessively tax the people who are responsible for wealth creation in the job market.
Absolutely and absolutely.
Yes to both.
The recently rejected tax-reform package did increase meals and lodging taxes, and I would support it again.
Yes.
If the establishment of public charter schools allows more money to reach teachers, helping them to do their jobs, then I would support that effort.
Yes. I strongly support school choice and funding for students, not schools.
Not at this time, because I believe we should keep our fiscal resources and creative talents committed to and focused on improving the existing public schools system.
Yes, provided that the schools are non-profit, are required to accept all students, and give hiring preference to qualified teachers who get downsized from public schools as a result.
Not at this time, but when an appropriate funding mechanism can be developed I would.
a) No. Before expanding the existing patient pool we should strengthen the financial viability of the current model through appropriate cost containment policies. b) Yes.
No. However, I do think there needs to be a complete overhaul of Medicare/ MaineCare. I would not favor government subsidies for private health insurance. I’d rather see more providers who compete.
We need to take care of the people already on these programs before adding more. I support allowing health insurance across state lines to help lower the cost of health care.
I would support both as efforts to move us toward a public, universal singlepayer system that ensures affordable, accessible, good quality health care for all Americans.
Yes to both.
I would vote to expand MaineCare eligibility.
Business, Research and Economic Development.
Taxation; Business, Research and Economic Development.
Appropriations.
Health and Human Services.
Taxation.
Education.
Vote to allow public charter schools in Maine?
WOULD YOU
HOUSE DISTRICT 114
THE PORTLAND PHOENIX | NEWS + FEATURES | OCTOBER 29, 2010 9
CANDIDATES FOR THE MAINE LEGISLATURE AREN’T ALWAYS BRIEF IN THEIR ANSWERS. READ EXPANDED RESPONSES AT THEPHOENIX.COM/ABOUTTOWN. PHOENIX-ENDORSED CANDIDATES HAVE ASTERISKS NEXT TO THEIR NAMES. HOUSE DISTRICT 116
HOUSE DISTRICT 117
NOT PROVIDED
NOT PROVIDED
CHASE MARTIN
KENNETH CAPRON
DENISE HARLOW*
REPUBLICAN
REPUBLICAN
DEMOCRAT
FREDERICK KILFOIL
ANNE HASKELL* DEMOCRAT
INDEPENDENT
No response.
No response.
No response.
No response.
No response.
No response.
SHAWN-ELISE LAPOMARDA REPUBLICAN
I would want to see the data from the transportation groups and the recommendation of the committee before I decide.
Probably not. The state is broke and can’t even maintain the present roadway system, let alone expand it.
I will follow the recommendations of the Transportation Committee in its report to the Appropriations Committee.
No response.
I will support almost anything that allows Maine businesses to remain or become more competitive with other states.
I would support tax breaks for businesses that provide goodpaying jobs with benefits.
Yes. We have to remind ourselves that a tax “break” for one company ends up being a tax “increase” for the rest of us.
Tax incentives are important to robust economic development and some I fully support, e.g. Small Business Seed Capital Tax Credit, and would not make a blanket cut without seeing how they have helped support jobs in Maine.
No response.
a) Maybe — I am most concerned about easing the tax burden on Maine’s working class. b) No.
I would agree to look at both those things, but I would need more specific guidelines before I could make a final determination what was best for Mainers.
I have to choose door number 3. I can’t support either a or b.
I support a more balanced income tax, sales tax, and property tax distribution and think both of those are parts of that balance.
No response.
Yes.
At this time it is not economically feasible, but I am not opposed to them in better economic times.
Yes. I would also support “private” charter schools.
I don’t support separate charter schools, but believe that we can accomplish the same diversity and programmatic improvements within our public school system.
No response.
It is difficult to answer this question until we know for sure what the federal government will be providing with its new health-care reform.
a) It appears that Medicaid/MaineCare is itself on life support. Thus, I would have difficulty justifying an expansion of the program. b) I fail to see how this proposal will make anything better.
Access to health care is a priority and we should move beyond current systems to create a true right to affordable, consistent services for all Mainers.
No response.
Education and Cultural Affairs.
Business, Research and Economic Development.
Criminal Justice and Public Safety.
No response.
Not at this time.
a) No; b) Yes.
Business, Research and Economic Development, followed by Education, Judiciary, Labor, Appropriations, or Taxation.
WOULD YOU Vote to allocate funding to widen I-295?
WOULD YOU Vote to cut tax breaks for businesses?
WOULD YOU Vote to increase: a) income taxes on Maine’s ultra-wealthiest residents, or b) meals/lodging taxes on those who vacation (or staycation) in Maine?
WOULD YOU Vote to allow public charter schools in Maine?
WOULD YOU Vote to expand: a) Medicaid/MaineCare eligibility to more Mainers or b) government subsidies for Mainers to use to reduce the cost of private health insurance?
WHAT IS Your first choice of legislative committee on which to serve?
Continued on p 10
10 OCTOBER 29, 2010 | NEWS + FEATURES | THE PORTLAND PHOENIX
Continued from p 9
HOUSE DISTRICT 118
HOUSE IS D TRICT 120
HOUSE DISTRICT 119 NOT PROVIDED
CARNEY BREWER GREEN INDEPENDENT
MARK CARPENTIER
NOT PROVIDED JON HINCK*
JILL BARKLEY*
DEMOCRAT
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
WOULD YOU
Vote to cut tax breaks for businesses?
WOULD YOU Vote to increase: a) income taxes on Maine’s ultra-wealthiest residents, or b) meals/lodging taxes on those who vacation (or staycation) in Maine?
WOULD YOU
Vote to expand: a) Medicaid/MaineCare eligibility to more Mainers or b) government subsidies for Mainers to use to reduce the cost of private health insurance?
WHAT IS Your first choice of legislative committee on which to serve?
REPUBLICAN
INDEPENDENT
No response.
I do not support widening 295 and would work to direct available transportation funds toward cost-effective public transportation.
No.
No.
No response.
Yes, especially businesses with more than 250 employees.
No response.
Tax breaks should get the same level of scrutiny as does spending.
Yes — after carefully examining all tax breaks for businesses and determining that they are not effective in creating more jobs for Mainers, I would support cutting or modifying.
Yes, especially for businesses that do not pay good wages and pollute the environment.
No response.
I would vote to increase income taxes for the wealthy.
No response.
I support an increase in the lodging tax and a decrease in the income tax for lower income earners.
Yes and yes.
Yes, if necessary to avoid budget cuts to education and services for those who are low-income, mentally ill, or physically disabled.
No response.
Yes.
No response.
Only if I became convinced that: a) Maine charter schools would offer quality education; and b) approval would not adversely affect public education.
No, I would focus on improving our existing public schools in Maine.
Undecided.
No response.
Increasing eligibility for Medicaid/ MaineCare.
No response.
I support universal, single-payer health care but I do not think that Maine can increase allocations of public money for health care or health insurance now or for the foreseeable future.
Yes and yes — I will vote for the federal Affordable Care Act in Maine, which would include Medicaid eligibility to more Mainers and providing subsidies for individuals and businesses for affordable insurance.
Yes. I would also advocate for more preventative health care to reduce long-term cost.
No response.
No first choice.
No response.
Utilities and Energy.
Labor.
Health and Human Services
No response.
Vote to allow public charter schools in Maine?
WOULD YOU
THOMAS ELLIMAN
No.
Vote to allocate funding to widen I-295?
WOULD YOU
BENJAMIN CHIPMAN
THE PORTLAND PHOENIX | NEWS + FEATURES | OCTOBER 29, 2010 11
SENATE DISTRICT 8
DIANE RUSSELL* DEMOCRAT
ANNA TREVORROW
SENATE DISTRICT 9
JUSTIN ALFOND*
PETER DOYLE
DEMOCRAT
REPUBLICAN
GREEN INDEPENDENT
JOSEPH BRANNIGAN*
JEFFREY MARTIN REPUBLICAN
DEMOCRAT
WOULD YOU
Not at this time, as I’d rather see other roads, e.g. the intersection of Cumberland and Washington avenues, that are in more dire need of repair, get the first crack at funding.
Yes but from where?
Yes, but only after doing an analysis looking at the effectiveness and current need of the tax break.
Certainly not the ones pre-selected for special treatment by our current governor and legislature in LD 1495, e.g. bowling alleys and lawyers’ fees, which escaped the tax man’s heavy hand and were thankfully rejected by Maine’s wise voters.
Yes
a) Yes; b) I would separate out meals from lodging and raise the rate on lodging.
Yes.
I’m not sure how you’d determine which patrons are in or out of state when ringing up those taxes, and I wonder what “ultra wealthy” means since they were the ones who benefited the most by LD 1495.
b.
The evidence is neutral on charter school success. Until that changes, I see no reason to set up an entire new bureaucracy for educating our children when we are seeing major budget cuts affecting children.
I would support a pilot project to assess the potential.
No.
Most certainly — competition spurs creativity.
Yes
I am open to any responsible means to increase access to quality health care while ensuring it is affordable for as many people as possible.
a and b) Yes, but only as temporary fixes while we work toward the real solution: universal single payer at the state level.
Yes, and with the Affordable Care Act, Maine’s exchanges will create more access and competition to drive down the cost of health care.
I’d love to see us model ourselves after state health care programs that actually work, e.g. Tennessee’s low income health care program, and that don’t stiff our hospitals to the tune of $400 million.
Yes, if we could pay for it.
Maine can’t pay its $350 million bill to the hospitals now; increasing this burden on hospitals will cause more layoffs and only serve to reduce medical access to everyone.
WOULD YOU
I would like to stay on the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee where we are currently working on the revenue allocation structure from the racino, clean elections, and serving our veterans.
Transportation.
Education and Cultural Affairs
My inner actuary screams “Insurance and Financial Services!”
Health and Human Services.
Utilities and Energy.
WHAT IS
Before we consider widening major throughways, we must ensure we are investing in better rail and bus service.
No. We should be investing in commuter rail, and other projects to provide alternatives to heavy carbon-emitting forms of transportation.
No.
Maine has made progress in the last two years through the expansion of the Pine Tree Zones to make businesses more competitive and I support that work. Our tax expenditures must be made open, transparent, and accountable.
Tax incentives for truly small business would be good for promoting local, sustainable business, but I would visit big-business, corporate taxation as an area to generate new revenue.
a) I am working on a proposal to increase the spread of the tax brackets so that everyone pays their fair share while hopefully boosting up the earnedincome tax credit for working families. b.) Yes.
No.
Vote to allocate funding to widen I-295?
Increasing the tax burden on Maine workers who are employed by Maine business is absolutely the worst thing we can during these economic times.
WOULD YOU
No. I favor eliminating income taxes for those making less than $35,000.
WOULD YOU
Yes.
WOULD YOU
Vote to cut tax breaks for businesses?
Vote to increase: a) income taxes on Maine’s ultra-wealthiest residents, or b) meals/lodging taxes on those who vacation (or staycation) in Maine?
Vote to allow public charter schools in Maine?
Vote to expand: a) Medicaid/MaineCare eligibility to more Mainers or b) government subsidies for Mainers to use to reduce the cost of private health insurance?
Your first choice of legislative committee on which to serve?