Clark for District 6
Name: Tyler Clark.
Age: 27
Hometown: Easton
Political Party: Republican
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? I am a two term State Representative and a member of the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee.
What is your career background? Retail management
What made you decide to run for this office? I first decided to run for office while I was still attending college at UMPI. Many of my friends were graduating and were having difficulty finding work. Many of them loved Aroostook and did not want to leave to find meaningful employment. I have lived in the County my entire life and wanted to do my part to help make it easier for people to make a living and raise families. This will not only help the local economy but help to keep families together. Parents do not want to see their children move away if they would rather stay. This is why creating and saving Aroostook jobs has been my top priority in Augusta.
What do you see as the most important issue facing Aroostook County? The main issue has been the same since I first took office – jobs and the economy. Aroostook has seen hard times even before the economic crisis of 2008. Good paying jobs are hard to come by and our largest export has become our youth. It is not surprising that many people are pessimistic about Aroostook’s future. I, however, do not believe that Aroostook’s best days are behind us. We have so much untapped potential in our highly educated populous, as well as the strongest work ethic in the state. If we work to further reduce energy costs, with the goal of making Aroostook energy independent, and invest in infrastructure, we could compete with any market in the state.
What do you see as your primary goal, if elected? I have always seen my role as a voice for my constituents. I was sent to Augusta by the people of my district, not my political party. That is why I stood up to my own party and was the deciding vote to save the Aroostook rail line that preserved nearly 1,000 Aroostook jobs. I worked to change the tax cut proposal to focus on the working class, and removed 70,000 low and middle income filers off the system altogether. I insisted on including a tax incentive in the budget that makes it easier to invest in rural Maine. I listened to my constituents and came down hard on welfare waste, fraud and abuse. I have always worked to serve the people of Aroostook, and if you send me back I will continue to be a strong voice in Augusta.
