FRYEBURG – Dave Hastings said Maine’s economic woes prompted him to seek the Republican nomination for Senate District 13.

The Fryeburg attorney said it is Maine’s biggest problem and working on it will be his first priority.

He said many college graduates are looking out of state for a place to work and live. “Our best and brightest kids are having to leave the state. We’re becoming an older state.”

He said when a state grows older a burden is placed on the tax structure. He pointed out that Maine’s tax burden is the highest in the nation and its income is below average.

“We need a younger population here and a booming, vital economy to create a tax base that can generate a reasonable tax rate to fund the government needs and finance operations,” Hastings said. “We are losing our industry at a rapid rate because of our tax base.”

He said a solid business tax base could take pressure off citizens’ tax rate.

Hastings favors a taxing and spending cap on the entire government.

Hastings is involved in a fifth generation law practice with his father, uncle and three other nonfamily members.

He and his wife, Carol, have four children ranging in age from 22-26.

He has been on the SAD 72 board for three terms, has been a trustee of Fryeburg Academy since 1995, has been a director of the Eastern Slope Airport for more than 20 years and is a trustee and member of the finance committee of the Fryeburg Fair.

District 13 comprises Fryeburg, Bridgton, Harrison, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris, Norway, Naples, Denmark, Brownfield, Porter, Hiram, Sebago and Baldwin.