We all can see the signs of how our healthcare system is struggling - from the countless gofundme campaigns to help our neighbors pay off sky high medical costs which threaten their financial security, to months long waits to see our doctors, to workforce shortages. I would love to roll up my sleeves and work with policymakers and healthcare experts to help create a system that is affordable, high quality and accessible, leveraging any and all resources to help get us there. Promoting prevention and comprehensive health management would be a good start.

I’m happy to see that many firearm safety measures were passed in this last session including the expanded background checks, 72 hour waiting periods for firearm purchases, and a bump stock ban. I am hopeful the Governor will sign them all. I will absolutely do all I can to make sure these laws stay on the books should the gun lobby try to roll them back. These are a good foundation; I would work to advance and support the banning of semi automatic weapons also as well as enacting a true extreme risk protection order law.

I would endeavor to ensure state programs and resources continue to be available to address rising sea level changes and more frequent damaging storm events as well as reduce our carbon footprint and protect our natural resources. Maine needs to continue to make meaningful progress on our Climate Action Plan so I would encourage the executive and legislative branches to make a full court press on such initiatives as building out the necessary electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, modernizing and making more efficient our businesses and homes and growing more locally and sustainably produced agricultural products.

The lack of affordable housing is a serious barrier to a thriving economy in Maine. I believe the state can help to support towns and cities develop approaches to supporting and creating affordable housing that work best for them. The state should convene and create incentives for regions to come together to develop solutions and support each other, support the redevelopment of unused state and commercial property, encourage policies that avoid sprawl, promote green building standards, and support thriving communities. At the same time, we need to balance housing needs with bolstering our local agriculture, farms and food as well as public access to outdoor spaces and healthy lifestyles.

I would work to make sure the state doesn’t backslide from its 55% funding of the total cost of education. Even though Cape doesn’t see nearly that high a percentage in state funding, if the state were to lower its contribution, we would see a cut in funding and that would negatively impact property taxes. In addition, it is essential that the state continues, at the minimum, revenue sharing (monthly payments to municipalities from state sales and income taxes) at its current level. I will fight any efforts to roll back this important program for our towns.