ROTC
USAR commission 1972, 2 years active Army
Reserve with 1066 Transportation Company,
Auburn, ME
15.
College/University attended
Bowdoin
College , graduated1972; Temple University Law
School, graduated 1975
16.
Previous/current elected or
appointed governmental
positions.
Elected
three terms MSAD 72 School board, 1987 -1995,
Vice Chairman last term. Appointed by Fryeburg
Selectmen as member of Eastern Slope Regional
Airport Authority (operates regional airport in
Fryeburg) for approximately 20 years. Served as
Board Chairman for about 10 years.
17.
Previous/current private-sector
experience.
Trustee
of Fryeburg Academy, 1995 to present. Serve as
Board Secretary and member of Executive
Committee. Chaired Capital campaign which raised
$2.5 million to build new library on campus
which opened 2003. Involved in management of
West Oxford Agricultural Society ( Fryeburg
Fair) 1976 to present. Currently member of Board
of Trustees and member of the Finance Committee
which acts as the Fair's executive committee. I
have practiced law at Hastings Law Office in
Fryeburg from 1976 to present. I focus on real
estate and business law and practice in both
Maine and New Hampshire.
18.
Reason for seeking office.
I
am concerned about Maine's economic future. We
have a wonderful place to live and raise a
family, but I see our children forced to leave
Maine to find decent jobs. Our high tax burnden
and reputation as being business unfriendly
dicourages the economic investment needed to
create the jobs our children will need. The
Legislature needs to do something about this and
it can.
2.
Issue Questions
19.
What do you think is the ONE (1)
most important issue facing the
state of Maine?
It's
overall tax burden which I believe is the number
one impediment to economic investment and
growth. This can be controlled only by limiting
the growth of government spending at all levels.
20.
The 2000 Federal Census shows
that 22 % of Maine’s youth
between the ages of 20-34 have
left the state since 1990 to
seek opportunity elsewhere. The
national average out-migration
for this age group is only 5%.
If elected, what do you think
state government can do to help
keep our youth and prime
workforce here in Maine?
Encourage
- not discourage - economic investment in Maine
to create the jobs our young people will need in
order to remaine in Maine. It's a fact of life
that Maine has to compete with other regions for
economic investment. We need to be competitive,
which means bringing our tax burden and othe
government imposed costs of doing business down
to a competitive rate.
21.
The constitution of Maine
requires a balanced budget. If
the state faces a budget
shortfall, what do you think the
Legislature should do?
Obtain 100% of
shortfall by cutting programs/services
22.
If the state of Maine has a
budget surplus, what would be
your top two priorities? (select
two)
Setting aside
in "rainy day" fund for future
budget crisis
Cutting taxes
23.
For every $100 of sales, about
how much profit do you think the
average Maine business makes?
$1-5
24.
Do you think the current level
of taxes paid by Maine citizens
is :
Income Taxes - Too
high
Property Taxes - Too
high
Sales Taxes - Too
high
Excise Taxes - Too
high
25.
Maine’s top corporate income
tax is 8.93%, one of the highest
in the county. A report released
by the research firm Ernst &
Young in January 2004 ranks
Maine as having the highest
State and Local business taxes
per dollar of capital income
(tax burden) in the country at
24.4%. Do you favor reducing the
tax burden on Maine employers?
Strongly favor
26.
In the past, Maine unemployment
compensation tax rates have led
to deficits in the unemployment
compensation trust fund. In
light of deficits, would you
support raising the unemployment
compensation tax on employers?
Oppose
27.
In 1993 the legislature reformed
Maine’s workers’
compensation system. Since that
time those reforms have resulted
in more than a 43% reduction in
workers’ compensation loss
cost rate for Maine employers.
Yet Maine is still ranked as
having the 46th highest
workers’ compensation costs in
the country. Do you believe
Maine must reduce workers’
compensation costs further so
that Maine moves closer to the
national median for these costs?
Agree
28.
Do you favor legislation that
requires companies to give
part-time and temporary
employees all the same benefits
(including health benefits,
vacation, sick time, etc.)
received by regular, full-time
employees?
Oppose
29.
If you favor legislation that
requires companies to give
part-time and temporary
employees the same benefits as
full-time employees, how would
you fund such a mandate
While
I oppose such legislation, I also believe
employers should not abuse this by replacing the
bulk of their workforce with parttime and
temporary emplyees to avoid paying benefits.
30.
If the Legislature requires
companies to give part-time and
temporary employees the same
benefits as full-time employees,
what do you think the impact on
Maine businesses would be?
Severe
31.
Do you support changes in the
state minimum wage above the
median for all states?
Strongly oppose
32.
Do you support indexing the
state minimum wage to the
Consumer Price Index (CPI)?
Strongly oppose
33.
Do you support privatizing
public services wherever a
cost-benefit analysis indicates
savings for Maine tax-payers
while maintaining or improving
service delivery?
