HOUSE DISTRICT #62
Katrina Smith

Background:

I am running for my second term as State Representative because I believe that I can continue to be a strong voice of reason for the state. Mainers are suffering under current policies and I will continue to be at the forefront of finding solutions so people can afford their groceries, their heat bill and look forward to a brighter future for themselves and their children.

Schools:

The schools in Maine are currently ranked 43rd in the nation and are failing our children. This is not the fault of teachers who try to work within a broken system to teach our kids, but lies entirely on administrators and the NEA who place educating our children on the back burner behind ideological indoctrination. We must turn our schools around for the kids and for the future of Maine. Ideological discussions should be left out of the classroom and solid educational principles should be let back in. We must pass legislation forbidding ideological teaching in subjects that are straightforward like math, science and reading, and pass legislation that allows school choice. School Choice will put the parent in charge of finding the education that best suits the needs of their child.

Women’s Healthcare:

Reproductive rights were given back to the state by the Supreme Court. Women’s healthcare, mammograms, pap smears, birth control, ectopic pregnancy resolution, fatal fetal diagnosis etc., are currently available to women at hundreds of establishments throughout the state. Abortion up to moments before birth is not healthcare and it remains a tragedy that Maine put it into law.

Community Colleges and Universities:

Community College is a worthwhile investment, but by giving kids free community college, we made the UMaine system lose students, putting them in financial straits. This loss put a higher burden on the state to keep the Umaine system afloat. Contrary to the belief that if a kid goes to Community College they will stay in the state and find a job right away we find that it is still difficult to find a good paying job in the neighborhoods in which our children would like to settle down. We must attract employers as our first priority.

Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development:

I would make Maine a friendly state for working age people to move to by abolishing the income tax and stop overtaxing our residents. People have to want to live in Maine and be able to afford to live here once they come, right now they do not. The answer to this need of a workforce does not lie in opening the state to 75,000 illegal immigrants. We cannot afford to welcome in a population that needs housing, to be educated and places more of a strain on our healthcare system.

Communication:

We live in a world in which businesses thrive if they serve the needs of their people and bring value to people’s lives. If community newspapers cannot meet those criteria then they must learn to change with the times or like most businesses they will have to close their doors. There is a plethora of news sources, both local and national, that are thriving online and I find that my constituents are incredibly well educated on the issues.

People must take it upon themselves to communicate to restore the divide of partisan conflicts. I know that I am open to speaking to any one of my constituents, no matter the party, with respect and an open mind. Each one of us must be committed to doing the same.

Economy in the State of Maine:

The economy is not working for any segment of society in the state of Maine. Net energy billing (subsidizing corporate solar with your money) is crushing businesses and residents alike and must be stopped immediately. The recent passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act which forces even small businesses to pay for leave is also going to be responsible for companies closing their doors. The FMLA policy is poorly written and even allows an employee to get paid to take care of a “friend”. These are just two examples of a state that is extremely unfriendly to business owners. Without jobs, no one can get ahead.

The Property Tax stabilization program which would have been an aid to our Seniors was discontinued after one year by a majority Democrat vote. Our seniors don’t even have a chance to get ahead now.

Employment:

Maine’s has a low unemployment rate but the labor force participation is significantly lower than nationwide rates, The labor force participation rate nationwide in July of this year was found to be 62.7 percent, meaning only 62.7 of people able to work are working. We must look deeper at these numbers to determine if able bodied individuals receiving Government benefits are staying out of the workforce and how to immediately integrate them back in.

Affordable Housing:

In your opinion, what else could be done to ease the shortage and cost of affordable housing/apartments in Maine?

In 2023 the Legislature passed a 50 million dollar emergency funding measure to support housing. I did not support this bill because the money was not specifically allocated to Mainers who were in need of housing. The fact is that out of the 50 million dollars that was allocated over 34 million dollars of it went to house 2200 illegal immigrants. We cannot help Mainers (elderly, veterans, disabled, struggling) if we do not focus on Mainers first.

Mental Health/Substance Use:

The push to decriminalize drugs only gets stronger from the Democrats each and every year and the result is rising deaths. Safe injection sites are also promoted and result in NO reduction in overdoses. I believe there must be strong penalties for those preying on and providing drugs to those vulnerable to addiction. Mandatory rehabilitation should be a part of every drug related offense. Rehab will take increased funding, but the result would be a decrease in deaths, a decrease in crime, homelessness and despair.

Closing Question:

Quality of life rises for all if we bring good-paying jobs to Maine that provide a living wage, healthcare and opportunities for advancement. The current government focuses on spending money as fast as they can on the Governor’s pet projects that do not enhance the quality of life for Maine citizens. My focus will be to strip the government of the programs that waste our money and allow Mainers to keep the funds they earn.

HOUSE DISTRICT #62
Pam Swift

Background:

With the current climate of political divisiveness in our nation, it’s become clear how important it is to have reasonable people in all levels of our government. It’s imperative that we elect people who can work well with others, get the work done, and make life better for all of us. To that end, I decided to run for Palermo’s Select Board in 2019. I’m currently serving my second term in that Office.

In 2022, after redistricting, my new district (62) was an open seat with two Republicans running, but no Democrats. It’s important we not let any seat go unchallenged because it changes the conversation. In this case, it shifted the discussion from culture war issues to real-world concerns like affordable healthcare, lowering the cost of prescription medications, and reproductive rights.

In this 2024 election, everything is on the line. All of our rights are threatened: workers’ rights, minority rights, the rights of those in marginalized communities, and women’s rights. What we need to understand is that all of these rights intersect under the umbrella of Human Rights. When band together to fight for our Human Rights…we win!

Schools:

According to Great Schools Ratings, the primary and secondary schools in District 62 all have B ratings (although Somerville’s elementary school has not been rated by this organization). We must continue to invest in our schools to give the children in our community their best chance for success.

My husband and I don’t have kids, but we are happy to have our tax dollars support our community’s school. We understand that an educated populace gains critical thinking and problem-solving skills, the ability to think independently, and to make more informed decisions. These skills are foundational to living cohesively in a community, participating civically, and contributing to society.

I support (but am not limited to) the following budget priorities: to maintain reasonable class sizes, technology infrastructure, continuing professional development, health and wellness services, bullying prevention programs, and Universal PreK programs.

I was pleased that Governor Mills signed the budget into law, meeting the State’s obligation to pay 55 percent of the cost of K-12 education. This is the first it’s happened since the voter initiative passed in 2004. If elected as your State Representative, I would fight for legislation to continue state funding of our schools at the full 55 percent.

I was also pleased that Governor Mills signed the School Meals for All bill which provides for free breakfast and lunch for all Maine public schools. This helps address food insecurity in our communities. It also helps students learn because it’s hard to concentrate with an empty belly. To build on this, I would propose legislation with a goal of supplying the food for those meals with Farm-to-School programs.

Women’s Healthcare:

Government should not play any role in our reproductive rights other than to protect them. As a retired Ob/Gyn, I understand how important it is for medically trained personnel to be the ones creating policy regarding contraception, IVF, abortion, and management of miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies. Most politicians have no medical training and the resulting laws being passed around our country are leading to serious, even life-threatening consequences.

The vast majority of abortions occur within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. For those who seek abortion after the first trimester, by and far, these are desperately wanted pregnancies. These families receive devastating news that their baby has a terrible birth defect or genetic disease. The couple must make the impossible decision as to whether or not they have the emotional, social, and financial resources to bring such a child into the world. These unbearable decisions belong to no one other than those in the medical exam room. I’ve sat with many patients facing these difficult decisions and I fully support a woman’s right to make her own reproductive choices.

All of the freedoms we hold dear stem from the foundational right to bodily autonomy. Bodily autonomy means my body is my own, my body is for me. It is about agency, choice, power, and dignity. We already have laws on the books regarding a person’s right to bodily autonomy. The government cannot force anyone to donate an organ, bone marrow, or blood—even if it would save the life of another. Similarly, with regards to organ donation, pre-mortem permission must be obtained before organs can be harvested. A pregnant person should not have fewer rights to bodily autonomy than a corpse.

I would be remiss if I did not address the outrageous accusation politicians are asserting on national television – that newly-delivered mothers and their doctors are “aborting babies after birth” or deciding whether or not to “execute the baby after it’s born.” This. Does. Not. Happen. Doing so would be murder, which is illegal in all 50 states.

This hideous accusation originated from the willful twisting of the former Virginia Governor’s words when he was describing the comfort care given to babies that are born with severe anomalies or conditions that are incompatible with life. He was describing what is essentially Hospice for babies. These are heartbreaking situations for the parents as well as the nurses and doctors caring for them. For politicians to cast these distraught souls as murderous is shameful and beyond cruel.

Community Colleges and Universities:

I support the extension of the two-years-free community college scholarships to the 2024-2025 high school students. This is an investment in our youth and their future. This will give students the opportunity to earn a degree or certificate that they may not have been able to afford otherwise. It will benefit Maine because it will provide the skilled workers that our state so desperately needs.

Maine’s Department of Economic and Community Development has stated that Maine needs to add 75,000 technical and specialized workers in order to sustain growth in the state. A significant part of this problem is the loss of college graduates to other states. What would you do to address this long- term employment and economic issue?

A great way to avoid the “brain drain” caused by college graduates moving out of state is to provide monetary incentives for them to work in Maine after graduation. If graduates were offered tuition forgiveness after working a predetermined number of years in Maine, it would encourage more students to stay after graduation. Once a graduate has established themselves in the Maine workforce and community, the less likely they will be enticed to move away.

Communication:

In this digital age, the way we gather our news is forever changed. Historically, print newspapers supported themselves by charging advertisers, running classified ads, and selling subscriptions. Now we can access mountains of digital news for free, but the content is not always accurate and may even be purposefully misleading. Mis­information and disinformation have only served to increase division in our communities. I would fully support safety regulations being placed on social media and digital news companies to prevent the dissemination of misinformation, disinformation, and especially outright lies and propaganda.

If we want print news to continue, we must create new ways to fund it whether that be with grants from non-profit or governmental organizations. Requirements for accuracy and honesty in reporting could be mandated in order to access these funds.

Four newspapers in Maine are addressing this issue by merging into one, the Midcoast Villager, to combine staff and resources. They are also pursuing other innovative revenue streams with “pop-up” news rooms in more rural areas so people can talk directly with editors, and a café in Camden that will serve breakfast and lunch and host local events. Owner Reade Brower believes that kindness is at the core of our community and wants to bring people with differing viewpoints to meet and have respectful discussions over food and drink.

Cable news has also contributed to the divisions in our country. We can each find news silos that support our own confirmation biases. I would support reinstating the Fairness Doctrine that required news programs to present both sides of an issue with integrity. This would help open people’s minds to different points of view and allow them to come to well-reasoned conclusions.

Economy in the State of Maine:

The economy impacts all aspects of our lives. First, a strong economy provides the opportunity to find a good job that pays a living wage. Secondly, communities where residents earn a good income provide the tax revenue to support education and other municipal services that enable families to raise children, build good lives, and invest in their shared community and common good.

According to Maine Public, our state’s output of goods and services in the fourth quarter of 2023, grew at a rate of 4.4%, making it the fastest of any New England state. It also outpaced the national growth rate of 3.4%.

Nevertheless, Maine’s economy is not working for all segments of society. In order to thrive, not just survive, we all need a safe place to live, enough food to eat, and access to affordable healthcare. Sadly, however, one out of every nine Mainers live below the poverty level and are unable to meet these basic human needs.

Those most at risk of facing poverty are children under six years old, those living in rural areas, minorities (especially Native American and POC), and single moms. I would support legislation that addresses the root causes of poverty in these groups. Programs like food stamps (SNAP), the child tax credit (CTC), supplemental security income (SSI), and temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) helped cut poverty in half. I would also advocate for policies that provide affordable childcare and healthcare. It is hard to get and keep a job if one is unable to afford child care or maintain the health of one’s family.

Even though public assistance programs help lift Mainers out of poverty, they do not take the place of a good job that provides a living wage. The policy decisions legislators make can be the determining factor in whether poor families can be successful participants in the workforce. I would be the kind of legislator that helps families rise out of poverty to contribute proudly to their communities.

Despite Maine having the one of lowest unemployment rates in the nation, 3.0%, at the end of last year, business owners still have difficulty filling open positions. What would be your solution to solving this employment gap?

Maine’s plateauing workforce is the major factor challenging Maine’s economy. It’s nearly impossible to maintain a robust economy without increasing the workforce. This plateau translates to a smaller rate of growth of tax revenues and a rising cost of services.

We cannot grow our workforce without first addressing and solving the shortage of affordable housing. Once the housing issue is addressed successfully, Maine needs to institute policies that will entice working-age people from both other states and overseas. These enticements should include access to affordable childcare, as well as removing barriers to people with disabilities and older adults. Well-funded, excellent schools are especially attractive to working families—as are family friendly policies such as Paid Family and Medical Leave.

Affordable Housing:

The solution to the housing shortage will need to be multifaceted because different areas of Maine have different needs. Along the coast, the biggest need may be for housing seasonal workers. Creating dormitory-style housing for the seasonal workforce needed by local businesses could be one solution. Changing zoning ordinances to mix residential and commercial structures would allow for apartments to be built above stores, taking advantage of the vertical space. Reclaiming the old brick factories in towns like Waterville and converting them into condo units would create more housing and grow the tax base. In rural areas, creating cohousing neighborhoods would make the homes more affordable because they would share infrastructure like well and septic. They could also share resources such as lawn mowers, snowblower, and washer/dryers. And all over Maine, programs matching homeowners with extra rooms with individuals who would like to rent a room in someone’s home would be a win/win.

One bill that was introduced in the 2023 legislature aimed to encourage municipalities to plan subdivisions in areas that make long-term sense for growth. For more urban areas, that would mean building within the main part of a city so it won’t add to the municipal infrastructure costs associated with building out additional water and sewer, as well as the increased costs of road plowing, paving, and maintenance. Another proposed bill suggested creating a “bank” of construction drawings for a variety of building types that meet current building codes. This would reduce the cost of building by streamlining the process.

Mental Health/Substance Use:

The shortage of mental healthcare professionals is not a Maine-specific problem—it is a nationwide issue. The root of the problem is that many insurances will not cover mental healthcare. These caring mental health professionals invest time and money into obtaining advanced degrees only to find, in many cases, insurance companies will not reimburse them for their vital services. Unfortunately, many of those who need such services cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket.

The first step is to recognize the importance and value of treating mental health issues. The second step is requiring insurance to cover treatment—especially opioid addiction. Once providers are reimbursed fairly for their services, more people will be attracted to the field. There are also incentives that can be employed to encourage more people to go into the field. The urgent short-term way to address the shortage is to tap into Tele-health options that are available nationwide.

To combat the opioid epidemic, policymakers can work towards prevention, treatment, and risk reduction. To address prevention, I would support Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs that create a state-wide database that record every opioid prescription written to prevent patients from getting prescriptions from multiple doctors. I would also support Law Enforcement cracking down on unethical providers who create “pill mills”. These policies must, however, always be cognizant of the valuable benefits these medications have for pain control. Our policies must never leave patients struggling with chronic pain, palliative care, active cancer treatment, or end-of-life care. The second prong in addressing prevention is to stop the flow of illegal opioids. I would support funding for law enforcement in an effort to target large-scale distributors.

As for treatment, I would support funding for the uninsured and under-insured to access treatment. I would also support expanding treatment capabilities by developing new treatment facilities and increasing the number of physicians certified to provide medication assisted treatment (MAT).

The number one tool to reduce harm is to provide broad availability of Naloxone (Narcan) to reverse the effects of a drug overdose. All First Responders should have Naloxone on hand. Individuals who have a loved one at-risk for overdose, or those who would like to be able to save a life if needed, should be able to carry Naloxone. I carry it in the glove compartment of my car, just in case.

Closing Question:

Since becoming a Palermo resident, I’ve been serving my community as: Trustee and Secretary on the Board of the Palermo Community Library, Select Board member (second term), Secretary of the Branch Mills Grange, #336, Chair of the Palermo Days Committee, and member of the Historical Society. I also write the town’s quarterly Newsletter to communicate important information to our residents. I have dedicated my time to making Palermo a better place for all of us by actively participating in building community. I would do the same as your State Representative in District 62.