Kristine Kittridge and Michael Lachance are  running for Lewiston City Council Ward 7 on Nov. 3, 2015. Learn about more candidates and issues in our Election 2015 guide.

Name:

Kristine Elise Kittridge

Email address:

kristine.kittridge@gmail.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/Kittridgeforcouncil

Occupation or primary source of income:

Clinical dietitian

Education:

MS in nutrition from University of Maine, BS in nutrition from University of Maine

Family information:

Single

Public offices sought or held:

None previously

Why are you running for office? Why should voters select you for this job?

I’m running for City Council because I love Lewiston and I believe that I can bring a positive, fresh voice with new ideas to the council.

As a dietitian, I work collaboratively with individuals to come up with an individualized approach to their health; I will take the same approach as a councilor with each issue that faces our city. I will always be available to my neighbors to listen and then in turn represent their wishes while casting a vote.

With a limited budget and knowing what you know now, what would be your top spending priority among these three services: road repair, education or public safety? Why?

Although all three are extremely important to the well-being of our city, my top spending priority would be education.

As I’ve knocked on my neighbors’ doors, this has been the most discussed issue out of these three and understandably so; a strong education for our young people is of the utmost importance to our future. I’ve heard many stories of teachers struggling with limited resources or very large class sizes.

Our brightest future is dependent on our investment in the future leaders of our community.

What do you like about the city budget passed this year, and what don’t you like? Was it too high, too low, just right?

Next to education, the concern I’ve heard most from residents is the difficulty they have paying property taxes. This year’s property tax increase hurts seniors and those on fixed incomes most.

As a city councilor, I’ll do everything I can do keep property taxes low while trying to balance the needs of investing in our future. Education, roads, and community amenities are all equally important, but when it comes to the city budget, a city councilor has to balance these priorities with the real challenge residents face each year paying property taxes.

What about land banking? Should the city be allowed to set aside parcels for specific kinds of development, say to promote retail or housing around the river front?

Strategic redevelopment of the riverfront island takes vision and land banking should be one piece of that vision. There are many excellent examples in our city from the city investing in properties that have shown direct benefits and increased tax revenue, such as the Hampton Inn on Lincoln Street.

What would you do to improve Lewiston’s downtown housing stock? Should the city even be involved in downtown housing? Why do you think that?

I think that the role of municipal government is to provide good governance to the members of its community, including providing essential services that keep the community safe. There has been an ongoing issue with negligent property owners or bank-owned properties that have remained vacant for years, leading to safety issues and code violations.

I believe that the city has a responsibility to hold the owners of these properties accountable so that we avoid injuries, fires, etc. I also think that with a lead poisoning rate four times that of the state average, the city has a responsibility to take a more active role in managing lead abatement in older apartment buildings.

Michael R. Lachance

Email address:

mike@lachance2015.com

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/CouncilorMikeLachance

Occupation or primary source of income:

Design and marketing

Education:

Associate’s degree

Family information:

Married with two children, ages 8 and 20.

Public offices sought or held:

Seeking re-election to Lewiston’s Ward 7 Council seat

Why are you running for office? Why should voters select you for this job?

When I took office our ward was lacking initiative and responsiveness on the council. Over the past two years I’ve listened to residents, taken action and produced results. The real rewards of being a city councilor come from being the voice of residents and delivering those results in City Hall without selling out. I do not serve, nor do I run, as a personal springboard toward a bigger career in politics or activism.

With a limited budget and knowing what you know now, what would be your top spending priority among these three services: road repair, education or public safety? Why?

The fiscal demands of these three areas fluctuate from year-to-year depending on circumstances, and can each represent a higher priority one year but not the next.

What do you like about the city budget passed this year, and what don’t you like? Was it too high, too low, just right?

We cut our borrowing by a margin not seen in decades; reducing the local taxpayers’ exposure and exercising a forward-thinking approach that will help us financially for years to come.

Regardless of this, our mil rate remains too high, and the school department is faced with spending mandates which only exacerbate our problems.

What about land banking? Should the city be allowed to set aside parcels for specific kinds of development, say to promote retail or housing around the river front?

In certain cases land banking can make sense. However, when the city uses taxpayer dollars to prospect and gamble on chance, oftentimes the best, most efficient use of our limited resources is lost.

Authorizing the city to spend more-than-market value for properties that have not yet been marketed to the private sector is irresponsible, and giving away those properties for a dollar is reckless. Only government can operate in such a manner without consequence.

What would you do to improve Lewiston’s downtown housing stock? Should the city even be involved in downtown housing? Why do you think that?

Stop spending taxpayer dollars — money earned by the working class — to subsidize housing created primarily for the habitually unemployed or newly arrived undocumented foreign nationals.

So long as we inhibit personal investment in housing our housing stock will continue to deteriorate. Lewiston’s housing stock is a direct result of the failed experiment called “The Great Society.”

Is our Lewiston housing stock society “great” today? Perhaps we should thank LBJ.

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