Age (on Election Day): 47

Party affiliation: Democrat

Occupation: Lawyer

Community organizations:

Selectman, Durham 2012-current, vice chair, 2014-current

Hobbies, activities etc.:

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Gardening and raising animals on our small homestead farm, as well as playing with my children and spending as much time outside with my family as I can.

Family status: Married, two children

Years in Legislature: 0

Clean Election candidate? Yes

Committee assignments wanted:

Undecided

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What is the most pressing problem in your district and what do you plan to do about it?

Voters I talk to routinely express their frustration with rising property taxes. I would advocate returning municipal sharing to its statutory level and honoring the will of the voters to fund schools at 55 percent, which would help alleviate the escalating tax burden on property owners.

Gov. Paul LePage wants to eliminate the state income tax. Do you support that? If not, why not?

I believe the elimination of the income tax disproportionately impacts seniors and low income families. These groups are paying little or no income tax already and will see no benefit, but will inevitably be faced with significant increases in property and sales taxes necessary to make up the lost revenue.

Are you willing to support raising the fuel tax to fix Maine roads? If not, why not?

I think we need to look at raising the fuel tax. Fuel efficiency has improved, resulting in reduced revenue, and our roads and bridges need work. I need to see the numbers to weigh the fiscal impact and don’t anticipate that this alone will be enough to meet infrastructure needs.

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The relationship between the governor and the Legislature has deteriorated over the past six years. What can the Legislature do to improve that relationship?

We have a multi-branch system and for it to be successful all parts need to cooperate, understanding that no one branch is superior. The Legislature must do its job, and focus on enacting legislation that reflects the interests of Maine people, but the governor must also do his.

What methods do you support to reduce opiate addiction in Maine?

I want to work with first responders to define where and how government intervention can be most effective. I support a multi-pronged approach with increased access to a full spectrum of health care, including mental health, pain management and addiction medicine, as well as law enforcement, targeted primarily at distribution.

How are you voting on the referendum questions?

Question 1: Yes
Question 2: No
Question 3: Yes
Question 4: Yes
Question 5: Yes


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