Haines vies
for Willette’s District 7 spot
Name: Troy Haines.
Age: 33
Hometown: Mapleton
Political Party: Democrat
What other political offices have you held? If none, what other offices, honors or titles have you earned? Executive Director of the Maine Fair Trade Campaign, appointed to the Maine Citizens Trade Policy Commission, I serve on the board of MESAS (Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society) “More Maine Meat” project, and as an advisor to the Maine Farmland Trusts “Maine can feed Maine” panel.
What is your career background? I have owned a leading butcher shop in Mapleton for over 11 years. My business is now the largest of its kind in the state employing 28 people. I worked for Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman for 13 years, including several as the recreation director. I was the state lead organizer for Change that Works; worked for Maine State Employees Assoc.
What made you decide to run for this office? Aroostook County is 7,000 square miles with only nine representatives. Conversely, Portland is 22 square miles with eight representatives. We need someone who will be good and loud and not engage in party politics if we are ever going to convince state government that Maine does not end at Bangor.
What do you see as the most important issue facing Aroostook County? Multinationals are buying up our farmlands and we are losing the family farm. Aroostook has more open agricultural land than the rest of New England combined (including the rest of Maine). If we supported our family farms, we’d see more farms created and thrive.
What do you see as your primary goal, if elected? Supporting farmers and overcoming failed programs like NAFTA in order to support manufacturing as well. These are the mechanisms of job creation for Aroostook County. That needs to be our primary goal. Getting good jobs here so that people can afford to live here and preserve our culture and heritage.
