Maine Senate 22

Social media accounts
www.facebook.com/TimberlakeforSenate/

Occupation:
Farmer, small business owner.

Education:
Leavitt Area High School; AS in business management, CMCC.

Community Organizations:
I have been a fireman in Turner for 37 years and also served as chairman of the Turner Planning Board for 16 years. I have also served as vice-chairman of the board of selectmen for two years and am a member of the Kora Shrine, Nezinscot Lodge and the Turner Ridge Riders.

Personal information (hobbies, etc.):
Golf, hunting, fishing.

Family status:
I have been married for 41 years to Joline. Together, we have one child and two grandchildren.

Years in the Legislature:                                                                                            Eight.

Committee assignments (if elected):
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and Appropriations.

Q&A

1) What legislation do you support, if any, to address the state’s opiate crisis?
I support stiffer penalties for drug dealers and additional resources toward education, prevention and treatment.

2) What legislation do you support, if any, to address failures in the state’s child abuse prevention system?
I recently supported reforms to lighten the load on our caseworkers and provide additional training and resources for them, among many other things. Review of the program needs to be ongoing.

3) Should schools continue to push forward with proficiency-based diplomas? Why or why not?
The state no longer mandates proficiency-based diplomas. How to proceed should now be left up to local school boards and administrations.

4) Are you in favor of some type of universal health care for Maine residents? Why, or why not?
I have supported and will continue to support efforts to bring more transparency to the widely variant cost of health care in Maine and other efforts to bring the cost of services down for everyone.

5) Do you support Question 1 (the 3.8% tax to fund the home care program)? Why, or why not?
Question 1 won’t help people who are truly in need of services. What it will do is create more waiting lists and make Maine the highest-taxed state in the country. We can’t afford it.

6) Are you frustrated by the political sniping, exaggeration and even lies between the parties and their supporters that have threatened progress usually reached through respect and reasoned compromise? If so, what will you personally do to make the situation better?                                                                                    While there will always be disagreements on policy, it is important not to take those disagreements personally. We need to find middle ground to advance policies that make sense.

7) Tell voters something about yourself that they don’t already know, and might surprise them.
I’m a pilot and I love to fly.

Speed Round

Should voters be required to show ID at the polls?                                               Yes.