PRESQUE ISLE — Canvassers with the Maine People’s Alliance began a door-knocking campaign in Presque Isle and surrounding towns Monday to engage community members on important issues before the election in November.
This year, MPA canvassers will be talking to residents about their “Fair Share Economy” campaign. The campaign presents a vision for how Maine could provide universal education from pre-K through college, establish a Job Creation Fund which would help get thousands of Mainers back to work, and create a fair and affordable health care system by reforming the Maine tax system to be more progressive.
“The rich have never been wealthier and big corporations are making record profits and yet regular Mainers still struggle to find good jobs, pay for health care, and get a good education,” said Canvass Director Tim McGuire. “The wealthiest one percent of Mainers pay the lowest effective tax rate of anyone in our state. If the top 10 percent paid just a little more than what the working class pay, we could directly create thousands of jobs, and make health care and education free for everyone.
“When I talk to people at the door, I hear the same concerns every time: jobs, health care and education,” he said. “I’m glad that we can talk to folks across the county and listen to their concerns and hopefully present them with a plan to move Maine forward in a positive way.”
The Maine People’s Alliance is the state’s largest community action group with 32,000 members across the state. Canvassers, many high school and college-aged students, go door to door in towns across the state, engaging Mainers on issues such as economic, social and environmental justice.
MPA volunteers will make several stops around Aroostook County this week including Presque Isle Wednesday, in addition to Caribou, Mapleton and Mars Hill.
