Meet the candidates running for Maine House of Representative seats
Craig M. Lawrence, Republican candidate for Maine House District 150 from Frenchville, is running against Roland Daniel Martin, Democratic candidate from Sinclair Township.
Is Maine too generous in providing social services to its residents? Which government benefits should be increased or decreased?
Lawrence: No. I have little problem with the amounts that are given to the citizens of the state, my problem is in the way that it is given. I feel that except for medical reasons a person should have first been an asset to the state before they become a burden upon it. We have many people who move to this state only because they know they can start receiving benefits here on their first day in the state, while others who have been taxpayers and working here for years when they need something they are often told that there is no money available for them and I think that is wrong.
Martin: No. Welfare programs (financial aid) should provide temporary assistance to those in need. If elected I will work to ensure these programs are utilized to help those in need to transition into long term employment. General assistance dollars that are currently being provided to our towns and cities should not be decreased. Doing so increases the local property tax.
Do you support lowering the state income tax? If so, what state spending would you cut to make up for the loss of revenue?
Lawrence: Yes. I believe that if we continue to work to expand the tax base in the state (jobs), we can then cut taxes on the individual without cutting programs to those who need them.
Martin: Yes. I will support lowering taxes for the working, middle class and small businesses. I will not support balancing any state budget at the expense of local property taxes. Large corporations and the wealthy in the state should pay their fair share of the state income tax.
Should labor unions be allowed to require workers to pay dues as a condition of employment, regardless of whether the worker joins the union?
Lawrence: No. The right to work is one of the most basic of all human rights and no one should have the authority to charge you for excising that right.
Martin: Yes. I will not support any effort that erodes workers’ rights. Labor unions should have the right to negotiate their benefits.
Would you vote to expand Medicaid eligibility as allowed by the Affordable Care Act?
Lawrence: No. While it is true that the federal government has allowed for the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act subsidizing it fully for the first three years (2014 to 2016), these subsidies are scheduled to gradually decrease through 2020 and thereafter leaving the State responsible for the increased cost in the future. So until the State comes up with a plan to pay for these future cost (without hurting the people who are already on the program) I cannot see myself voting for the expansion.
Martin: Yes. I support increasing access to health care for the 70,000 residents of Maine who currently are not being provided this financial aid. We should accept these federal funds that the current administration has not accepted. This clearly would help our economy by creating jobs.
What is the biggest thing Maine can do to attract more jobs to the state?
Lawrence: According to the 1980 census we had a population of 91,331 people living in Aroostook County and now we have less then 71,000 meaning there have been over 20,000 people leave the county in the last 30 years, but what is the most alarming fact in this statistic is the unemployment rate for the most part has remained unchanged about 6 percent meaning when these 20,000 people left the county, the jobs which supported them and there families left also. I believe that the main cause of all these jobs and people leaving was the fact during this same 30 year period the state went from the 23rd to the ninth worst place in America to do business because of taxes and excessive regulation. I purpose if we want to bring people and industry back to the State we must start by repealing the taxes and needless regulations that drove them away.
Martin: Creating good jobs strengthens our economy. We need to increase the minimum wage and invest much needed funds in business development. Investing in our local schools and educational programs at the state level is a must. The state needs to fulfill its commitment in paying at least 55% of educational costs to local school departments.
Should Maine legalize, tax and regulate recreational marijuana? If so, where should the revenues go?
Lawrence: No. The Scientific American Magazine, The British Medical Journal and The National Institute on Drug Abuse report entitled, “The Science of Drug Abuse and Addiction” all claim that a new study shows that drivers who smoke marijuana within a few hours of hitting the road are almost twice as likely as sober motorists to be in a crash that results in a serious injury or death.” Now although the effects of Marijuana wear off in a couple of hours the active ingredient THC can remain (in measurable amounts) in a persons body for up to forty-five days, as a result users will develop a natural THC level in their bodies as well as a tolerance to that level. Alcohol is different since it is either in your system or not and its level is easily measured. At 0.08 a person is legally intoxicated. But there is no way to objectively and accurately test to see if a marijuana user is currently, or to what extent may be, under the influence or impaired by the drug. Also Marijuana is considered to be a replacement or lateral drug. This means that most people who drink and then choose to smoke marijuana will be using the drug in place of or at least partially in place of the alcohol that they are already using. This means that the state will not be seeing a tax windfall from the legalization of marijuana, because the hoped-for revenue increase as a result of the sale of marijuana will be offset by an approximate and equal decrease in the taxes collected from the sale of alcohol, basically leaving the state financially right where it is now. But considering all the new programs that will have to be instituted as a result of marijuana’s legalization (education, law enforcement, tax enforcement, rehab, health care, etc.) the state will actually suffer a net financial loss as a result of marijuana’s legalization.
Martin: No. I cannot support the legalization at this time. Maine should look to other states that have done so to determine the outcome. We need to monitor states that have legalized marijuana to determine the effects.
Should the governor be allowed to delay the sale of general obligation bonds that have been approved by voters?
Lawrence: Yes. So long as the Governor is not overturning the will of the people, I see no problem with him delaying the sale of bonds (which is the borrowing of money) until the money is needed and ready to be spent.
Martin: No. When the legislature and voters of Maine approve obligation bonds, the governor should not delay the sale of bonds. These bonds, as a rule provide much needed jobs and as a result improve the economy. A governor should never hold bonds hostage for political reasons.
What should the state do to lower energy costs? What commitment should Maine make to renewable technology?
Lawrence: The problem with energy is that it is a private industry meaning that the only thing that could truly be done at the state level to reduce prices or support new technology is to reduce regulations and open up more public land for energy exploration. Other wise we run the chance of having another Solyndra on our hands paid for with public funds.
Martin: Energy costs are on the mind of most residents from northern rural Maine. We should invest more in weatherizing homes and businesses. The state needs to invest in renewable energy, such as wind power. This should not be a partisan issue.
Should lawmakers make it a priority — even if it means raising taxes — to fulfill the voters’ mandate to have the state fund 55 percent of the total cost of K-12 public education?
Lawrence: No. Over the last 30 years our spending on public education has increased by almost 200 percent while the amount of children in our district has dropped by over half? And in spite of all the money we have thrown at the schools test scores amongst our children have dropped by over 20 percent. What we need to do as lawmakers is not to increase spending but rather improve the way it is being spent. We need to remove the red tape and bureaucracy from education and get the money directly into the hands of the local districts where they know how best to spend it according to the needs of the children they are teaching. This will result in a better educated child at a lower cost to Maine.
Martin: Yes. As a former town manager and Aroostook county administrator, I know full well the effects of not providing the mandated 55 percent of costs — 55 percent has never been funded and cost of providing educational programs has shifted to local property taxpayer. If elected I will not support any effort to decrease the level of funding and will work to ensure this 55 percent mandate is included in the state budget.
Should Maine have more charter schools?
Lawrence: No. If we do as I said in question #9 there will be no need for more charter schools because the public schools will be operating according to the will of the local community.
Martin: No. I will not support any legislation that attempts to increase more charter schools. I will support legislation to repeal this provision. Charter schools have created a financial hardship to our public school systems in northern Maine.
