Candidates jockey for county, state and federal seats

The race for Maine's next governor has garnered much of the attention in recent weeks, but local races for seats in the Maine House of Representatives and Senate and for district attorney and county sheriff are also heating up in Washington County, as the Tuesday, November 2, election draws near.
Voters will choose among the five candidates on the ballot for the Maine gubernatorial seat. They are Republican Paul LePage of Waterville, Democrat Elizabeth Mitchell of Vassalboro and independent candidates Eliot Cutler of Cape Elizabeth, Shawn Moody of Gorham and Kevin Scott of Andover.
For the U.S. House of Representatives in the First Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Michael Michaud, the Democratic candidate, is running against Republican Jason Levesque of Auburn.
Profiles of Washington County candidates, with their positions on the issues, follow. Senate and House candidates were asked about economic development, school funding and energy initiatives.

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 29
Republican incumbent Kevin Raye of Perry and Democrat James Whalen of Machias are running for the Maine Senate District 29 seat.

Kevin Raye
Kevin Raye is co‑owner of Raye's Mustard Mill and former chief of staff to Senator Olympia Snowe. He says he wants to continue advocating for the region and help change the direction of state government to forge a stronger climate for job creation and economic opportunity.
Raye states, "After 36 years of Democrats controlling the legislature, Forbes Magazine just rated Maine as the worst state in the nation for business and careers. The vast expansion of government, hundreds of new and increased taxes and fees, and a complex regulatory maze have weakened Maine's economy. As the current Senate minority leader, I hope to help lead the legislature in a new direction as president of the Senate if I'm reelected."
Raye says he has worked successfully to secure funding for the Port of Eastport and for improvements to Route 1, Route 189 and other roads to boost safety, tourism and commerce. "I've stood up for our fishermen, aquaculture workers, farmers and forest products workers when their livelihoods have been threatened. I've supported renewable energy projects and expanded access to rural broadband. I fought the merger of UMM, and led legislative efforts to save the Boat School and stop MPBN from abandoning Washington County."
Raye says he was one of only 10 senators to vote against "Governor Baldacci's flawed EPS school funding formula. In anticipation of a new governor and legislature, I've already filed An Act to Restore Equity in Education Funding for consideration in January. I hope to scrap the formula entirely or, at the very least, require that a community's ability to pay be considered. The current formula punishes rural areas for our lower income levels when calculating state reimbursement but ignores those same levels when it comes to the ability to shoulder education costs."
Concerning energy proposals, he says, "I'll continue to support policies to encourage tidal and wind power and LNG as a constructive part of our economic and energy future, and oppose taking a back seat to our Canadian neighbors when it comes to energy independence and jobs."

F. James Whalen
F. James Whalen has been an orthopedic surgeon for 31 years in Machias, serving all of Washington County. He states, "I see hard-working, intelligent people without jobs here year after year. The rest of Maine moves forward. Washington County falls further behind. I see our state representatives wringing their hands instead of arm wrestling with Augusta."
To assist with economic development, Whalen proposes to submit legislation for Washington County to develop a lobster processing facility along the coast; develop and build a paper mill in the Calais/Airline region; establish a tax break industrial zone along the Airline; convert the Airline/Route 9 into a toll road for Canadian traffic; take the bumps and dives, twists and turns out of Routes 191, 192, 193; develop a land trust system as Down East Lakes Land Trust already has done; develop regional airports in the Princeton/Calais and Machias areas operated by federal and state government; and move forward with a casino in Indian Township.
To assist area municipalities that are facing school funding shortfalls, he proposes to stop and reverse school consolidation and cut dramatically or close down the State Department of Education.
Concerning energy proposals, Whalen proposes establishing a county energy authority to coordinate, oversee, regulate and inform about the various energy programs in the area's interests; obtaining an outlet from the natural gas pipeline already present for commercial and residential supply of gas; holding off on an LNG terminal until a referendum is held by the affected towns; and insisting all energy projects permanently employ substantial numbers of local residents.
Whalen also proposes healthcare reform measures to make reporting of defective physicians by the public easier and to stop inappropriate hospital billing. He suggests having one price throughout the state for common procedures and tests; establishing firm caps on salaries of hospital administrators and hospital employed physicians; and changing Calais and Machias hospitals back to full service hospitals.

MAINE HOUSE DISTRICT 30
Republican incumbent Howard McFadden of Dennysville and Democrat Anna Mather of East Machias are running for the House District 30 seat.

Anna Mather
Mather is from East Machias, attended Washington Academy and the University of Maine at Machias. She is an artist who runs a sewing business. "I've always been creative and resourceful with my personal life." She has adapted to personal challenges, including domestic violence, financial and physical difficulties and being a single mother.
Her life experience has created in her a "passion to be an effectual person in my community." She says she never intended to run as a politician but believes that artists bring a different perspective to office. Mather says, "I am running as an independent on the Democrat platform." She will look for alternative ways for local businesses to be utilized and grown, including trade and barter. She wants others to be passionate about their work. She suggests that her sewing business is a small model of a type of re‑manufacturing business that could work well for the county and employ about 100 people.
"The school system relies so much on federal and state funds. This has compromised the school system. We need to figure out other solutions. We really need to take this discussion seriously," including ways to reconstruct the schools without all or most of those federal and state funds.
Mather sees the use of water as a source of energy in the form of dams and mills. She is in favor of wind turbines, but wants energy produced using the local environment's resources to be for the benefit of the local communities. She'd like to see Washington County residents have the ability to be less reliant on Bangor Hydro and large energy producers.
"I am passionate about seeing our communities be real communities. When we share, we are together. We co‑exist in creative ways that spin collaboration. We innovate in ways of surviving and thriving." She also feels that healthcare needs to "work towards the unification of alternative and traditional medicines."

Howard McFadden
Incumbent Howard McFadden is a native of Lubec and has lived in Dennysville for over 40 years. He worked for 36 years as an education administrator. McFadden serves on the legislature's Education Committee and is "trying to work to straighten out the EPS funding formula. It's very detrimental to small towns in Maine. It really kills us." He says that as long as he is able he will work to find a solution to this problem.
Economic development lies with LNG, wind and tidal power, he says. "Anything to help create jobs for our young people so that they don't have to leave the state or the area to find a livable wage. We're almost not at a livable wage now."
The EPS funding formula is at the heart of school shortfalls, he says. "We need to take a look at the labor distribution piece." McFadden is not happy that $75 million of the funds raised through the EPS formula are being used by the Department of Education. He says that funding "should come from the general fund." EPS funds are also used for the magnet school, Department of Corrections and other programs that he feels should be funded some other way. "They are really abusing the system."
While he knows his stand on LNG is not always popular, he says, "I will do anything in my power to help LNG. The one in Saint John isn't hurting anyone. Wind power is great, but the costs may be more than they say." He is impressed with the tidal research taking place in Eastport. "I support all that. Just to keep the kids here so that there's a livable way."
Health insurance is an additional issue he feels is important to address. He is not in favor of the Dirigo healthcare plan. "We need to put something in its place, but it needs to be changed."

MAINE HOUSE DISTRICT 31
Democrat Jeanne Guisinger of Perry and Republican Joyce Maker of Calais are vying for the House District 31 seat that has been held by Anne Perry of Calais.
Jeanne Guisinger
Guisinger co‑owns a photography business and runs an Elderhostel Road Scholar program. She has lived in the area for over 35 years and has been a Perry selectman and tax collector. She is a graduate of the Washington County Leadership Institute and has sat on the Maine People's Alliance board.
Augusta, she feels, does not hear all the voices of Washington County. Rather than just hearing about desolate, desperate people, she says that left out of this discussion are the hard‑working, creative workforce "that we should be celebrating." The region's quality of place is important to share. "I'd like to be a voice that Augusta has not heard before. I want to change that perception."
Guisinger would concentrate on infrastructure, including access to the Internet and the telephone systems. With this kind of infrastructure in place, "We can encourage people to come set up their businesses." She believes that local businesses and local shopping creates a more sustainable community. Tourism is also an important component to develop.
The first thing she would do about school funding shortfalls is to work on the school funding formula. "I am really proud of our small schools. Teachers do a tremendous job. But the tax burden needs to be a level playing field." And just as important, she says, "There cannot be unfunded mandates."
"It's exciting what's happening with tidal in Eastport." She believes in wind power and that questions about wind power development can be worked out. "The state needs to have an overall energy plan and set priorities. We need to get smart about how we use energy. Any plan that doesn't take that into account is shortsighted."
Reliable Internet access is one of her top issues. Of equal importance are healthcare, secondary education funding and jobs. "If basic needs are met, the economy will take care of itself."

Joyce Maker
Maker is in her third term serving the Calais City Council. She has served on the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) board, the Calais school board for 12 years in leadership positions, and is currently on the Maine Municipal Association Executive Committee. She was the financial aid director for 16 years of 36 years working for Washington County Community College.
She says, "I have experience helping people." She has been galvanized by the "disaster" of the EPS funding formula and the need to change regulations in order to make the region more business friendly.
If elected, she would concentrate on education and economic development. "I know a lot about each area." She worked with the FAME Business, Research & Economic Development Committee and hopes to bring them to Washington County. She sees the county's delegation as a useful way for Democrats and Republicans from eastern and western Washington County to pursue instrumental change. "We need to work together. Whether Republican or Democrat, your focus should be to represent the people."
"We need to change the funding formula. It doesn't consider rural schools or advance-level classes. It does consider the Department of Education and Department of Corrections. I really don't think that those should be in the funding formula. I would try to work with rural areas around the state to work for change."
Maker favors tidal, wind and solar energy and LNG C "anything that severs the binds of oil dependency." She believes in protecting the environment, "but some of the hoops we go through are not necessary." She would work with the delegation to reduce the regulatory burden so that companies can grow -- especially energy businesses.
In addition, she would like to see the rail line move forward, with the belief that this will help the economy spur private investment. If private investment can be encouraged in the county, she says, "then we don't have to worry so much about the tax side."

MAINE HOUSE DISTRICT 32
Republican incumbent David Burns of Whiting and Democrat Katherine Cassidy of Machias are running for the House District 32 seat.

David Burns
David Burns is retired from a career in professional law enforcement, with 24 years with Maine State Police. He has volunteered and served on various boards in Washington County since 1980 and has been active in his local church since moving back to Washington County in 1973.
Concerning economic development, he says he would work to provide a good business climate in Maine and Washington County to attract good jobs and train young people with the skills and education necessary to secure them, rather than having them move out of state. He would continue to support legislation that benefits families through lower taxes and better opportunities and protects their private property ownership and freedoms. "I also want to bring legislation that helps people get out from under the welfare system gradually but surely with incentives to accomplish this, thus enhancing independence and self reliance."
Burns supports multiple forms of energy production in the county, which would produce jobs, further development of the Port of Eastport and the rail head to Perry. "I'll help expedite the Three Ring Binder for 'middle mile' broadband expansion, support a centralized airport, tax incentives and hiring incentives for small business starts and expansions and require state government to assist rather than hinder with business development."
He would continue working with schools in the new AOS structure and encourage their collaboration and sharing of resources through incentives. He is co‑sponsoring newly filed legislation to restructure the education funding formula and working with the Washington County delegation, the Rural Caucus and others "to assure a fair and equitable formula for rural and coastal communities, based upon population and income base rather than unrealistic property values."
Burns says he would continue his "strong support for multiple energy sources, including tidal, wind, biomass, LNG, nuclear, hydro and oil," and work with the legislature, the Public Utilities Commission, a new administration and the congressional delegation to use energy generated here in Washington County.

Katherine Cassidy
Cassidy, a Machias resident for seven years, has spent 15 years as a journalist and publicist serving her community. She is a board member of the Machias School Committee, the Down East Sunrise Trail, the Eastport Arts Center and the Cobscook Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. She is running because "Washington County residents deserve an active, responsive representative who can become a leader within the Maine Legislature."
She says that, working together in a bipartisan manner, Washington County's legislators could nurture "the political and business environment to attract employment opportunities to our area. We can't expect overnight changes, but could focus on long‑range infrastructure improvements, including improved roads, broadband expansion and uninterrupted cellular service. We could work toward creating career opportunities based on new technology and evolving health care. We could work toward making Washington County first in livability and environmentalism."
Concerning school funding shortfalls, she says, "We need to recognize that investing in our local schools and students would result in a more robust economy for the next generation. We could sponsor and/or support legislation that would change the unfair policies of the Essential Programs and Services formula. We could seek a more realistic balance of excessive valuation (because of waterfront properties) with local household incomes."
As for energy proposals, Cassidy says, "Washington County already is a state and regional leader in wind power, and a national and international leader in tidal power development. Let's continue to explore these and additional green energy alternatives, including offshore windpower."
She adds, "Let's support and enhance both Washington County Community College and the University of Maine at Machias, making either option both accessible and affordable for our residents. Also, we need to protect our treasured, traditional lifestyles drawn from our forests, fisheries and farms. Let's work toward more sustainable practices, such as weatherization, recycling and buying locally, in our communities, workplaces and homes."

MAINE HOUSE DISTRICT 33
Republican incumbent Dianne Tilton of Harrington and Democrat Larry Finnegan of Jonesport are running for the House District 33 seat.

Larry Finnegan
Larry Finnegan, who has lived for the past seven years in Jonesport, has worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and the United Nations in Chile and has run a nursing and landscaping business.
Concerning economic development, he believes that there are too many separate groups working on the issue, so much of the effort is not well spent. He favors expanding the Made in Maine program for people to buy locally, which would help keep money in the area. He also supports expanding tourism through greater advertising and bringing in more cruise ships, perhaps to Jonesport. "We need to get small business developing," he says, commenting that the state and the county should be doing more to encourage those businesses through marketing and incentives. He adds, "We need to encourage recent graduates of college to come back to the area."
As for school funding, Finnegan says that the state needs to live up to its commitment to pay 55% of the cost of K-12 education. "School funding has to be a top priority." He adds that the state needs to proceed carefully with school consolidation.
Concerning energy projects, he says, "We need to continue to pursue offshore and onshore wind energy," although he says companies should not be subsidized too heavily. "We need more green power and to cut down on the amount spent on fuel costs." He believes the Passamaquoddy Bay LNG projects are "not viable," since the market price for natural gas has dropped so low. He supports greater energy conservation efforts, biomass and tidal energy initiatives.
"The number one issue is economic development," he says, pointing out that it will be tough to keep local schools unless there are more young people who can work at jobs in the area.

Dianne Tilton
During her term in the legislature, Tilton served on the legislature's Marine Resources Committee and Committee on Maine's Energy Future. The former executive director of the Sunrise County Economic Council says she would like to see a decentralization of economic development efforts in the state. State resources spent working with existing businesses should be given to the counties, since county governments know better what businesses to target for assistance. "The focus should be on what can be done to help smaller specialty manufacturing businesses," she says. "They're where the job growth is coming from."
Tilton says the state should make the school consolidation mandate optional. She notes that if the Moosabec school district joined with SAD 37 it would cost them more to join that if they simply pay the state penalty for not joining. "It's ridiculous to try to get school districts to try to work together." The state should also revise the school funding formula. "The only measure of a community's ability to pay their share is the property value," she notes, saying that the state needs to factor in a community's median income.
Tilton's priority for energy initiatives is LNG, which she says is "a good economic development strategy. It will create jobs, infrastructure and opportunities for lower cost energy for residents and businesses in the local area." She also believes oversight of the LNG permitting should be done by the Department of Environmental Protection instead of the Board of Environmental Protection, since "it's a more predictable group." Tilton would like to see biomass plants come back online and is supportive of wind and tidal energy projects, but she says they "won't result in the lowering of electricity costs."
Concerning the fisheries, Tilton believes the state should focus less effort on fishery resource conservation and more effort on helping the fishing industry through marketing "to help keep the demand for lobsters and other seafood strong."

DISTRICT 7 DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Longtime District Attorney Michael Povich has retired, and seeking the district attorney seat for Hancock and Washington counties are Democrat Carletta Bassano of Ellsworth, Republican Matthew Foster of Ellsworth and independent Steven Juskewitch of Dedham. They were asked what the DA's priorities should be for prosecuting criminal cases, how the DA can help address the drug problem, and what other solutions they propose for reducing the level of crime.

Carletta Bassano
Bassano has been a prosecutor in the district attorney's office for 21 years and served as the deputy district attorney for 14 of them. An Aroostook County native, she is a graduate of the University of Maine at Portland-Gorham in Portland and was admitted to the Maine bar in 1970 after graduating from the Dickinson College Law School in Pennsylvania. She has worked in the district attorney's three offices in Calais, Machias and Ellsworth.
"I have a strong commitment, through the district attorney's office, to public service and public safety. I'm a career public prosecutor," says Bassano. "And I think I'm best qualified for the [district attorney] seat."
Bassano points out that she will be swearing an oath to uphold all laws. "Every case brought into the office will receive attention. I'm mindful of our resources, so the drug addiction, drug prosecution and major felonies will receive the most attention, but I will be concerned with the general overall safety of the communities."
"The drug problem will be given a lot of focus," she adds. "We have to recognize the importance of education and keeping people from becoming drug addicts. We need to support drug-treatment courts and isolate criminals that are acting up."
"You do have to take every case seriously," she says. "If you don't deal with small crimes, they'll go on to bigger crimes, so I will continue to support the juvenile prosecutors."
"My approach to work is to work together with law enforcement and the courts and be the bridge between them."

Matthew Foster
Republican Matthew Foster believes "serious changes need to be made" in the District 7 District Attorney's office where "36 years is too long for one regime to be in place." A private and court appointed defense attorney for the past seven years, he has a degree in psychiatry from the University of Maine and a master's in business administration from Suffolk University in Boston, which is also where he earned his law degree.
"I want to protect the community and the people accused of crimes," says Foster. "I want to pass down reasonable sentences. They've been throwing people convicted of non-violent crimes in jail. That's expensive for taxpayers. It doesn't make sense that an 18-year-old who partied too much one time should serve a jail sentence."
Foster is also unhappy with the way the current DA office deals with other counsel. He says the assistant DA asked him to convince his client to plead to a lesser charge, rather than going to trial, but when Foster's client insisted on the trial, "they dropped the charge. It makes my skin crawl that they knew they didn't have a case, but tried to get a conviction anyway."
"Most of the criminals that need to be punished are repeat offenders," says Foster. "But the vast majority of cases are smaller district court cases, which is where people form their opinion of what really happens in the court system."
If he is elected district attorney, Foster's priorities would be to prosecute the drug suppliers, rather than the drug addicts, cases where violence is involved, and where there is a financial loss to the victim, such as burglaries or passing bad checks.
Foster would institute an alternative sentence program for juveniles. "They can spend the day with the DA as a way to complete their community service."

Steven Juskewitch
A trial attorney for more than 30 years, independent candidate Steven Juskewitch is retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel and now lives in Dedham with his wife and five children. "I'm not stumbling in the dark," he says. "I'm a proven leader. I know how to manage people and get them to do what you want."
"I'm the only candidate who had prior prosecutions outside of Washington and Hancock counties," he points out. "The level of violence and crime in Cumberland County is much higher than what we have here."
In dealing with underage drinking, Juskewitch says, "You need to try to find out how to be effective without being punitive. You don't want them to get hurt, but don't treat them like children."
Juskewitch believes an alternative sentence program is "extremely worthwhile," as well as victim impact panels. He recalls bringing teenagers to the scene of a deadly accident, which was the result of drinking and driving, and showing the students the force of the impact and then introducing them to the lone survivor, who was sitting in a wheelchair.
As DA, Juskewitch would find violence "unacceptable. Don't abuse children, partners, seniors or animals and don't expose children to your bad behavior."
"Don't use illegal drugs. Don't sell them," he warns. "Don't cheat people with scams and bad checks. If you sexually abuse children, hire a good attorney and pack your toothbrush."
"You do not have the right to lie in court," says Juskewitch. "That's perjury, and that means jail."
The job of DA will be "challenging" sums up the candidate. "But I have a deep conviction that people are entitled to fairness and respect."

WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF
The incumbent, independent Donnie Smith of Lubec, is being challenged for the Washington County sheriff's seat by Republican Dale Earle of Calais. They were asked how the sheriff's department can address the drug problem, how the department should proceed with the county jail/state prison consolidation and what other solutions they propose for reducing the level of crime.

Dale Earle
Earle describes himself as "fifth generation law enforcement" and says a vote for him is a vote for the people of Washington County. His first law enforcement job was with the Eastport Police Department in 1978. A 1982 graduate of the Maine State Police Academy, he worked as a state trooper for six years. He was the field training office and chief pilot for the Washington County Sheriff's Department under Sheriff Joe Tibbetts. Earle has earned a master's in fire service and public safety.
"I'm running for the sheriff's office now because I think there's room for improvement," says Earle. "I've heard stories from Steuben to Danforth about complaints not answered or handled carelessly. I've been in public service my whole life, and I think the citizens of Washington County deserve better."
Earle says he would "work diligently" on the county's drug problem. There is a plan to get grant money from the Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation and use that to fund a program called Get There First. "We want to educate the kids about the dangers of drugs C at a younger age than the DARE program. We want to reach them in the third or fourth grade because by age 11 or 12, they've already been exposed to drugs."
"They're our future," says Earle, who has spent many years of involvement with school systems as an umpire, referee and school board member. "Eighty percent of the burglaries and thefts are drug-related, whether they're looking for cash, something to sell for cash, or prescription drugs."
Speaking of the county jail/state prison consolidation move, Earle says, "That's already been set, cast and dyed. I've been told that $2 million is the cut-off point, and the state picks up the tab above that. I've requested information from the treasurer and county manager and got nothing. We need to have someone from Washington County on the [Department of Corrections]."