Maine gubernatorial election, 2018 (June 12 Democratic primary)

Priority #1: Growing Maine Jobs & Economy
With all the distractions and name calling in Augusta, you almost never hear anyone in politics talk about the underlying fact that Maine’s economy has been among the worst in the country over the past seven-plus years when it comes to economic growth, job creation, wage growth, and many other metrics. All of that while poverty, child hunger, and hunger or “food insecurity” among Maine seniors has grown.

Unless anyone thinks “fewer jobs, more poverty” is a great rallying cry, then the 2018 election is going to be about new leadership, new direction, and change.

If you talk to business leaders or anyone who has studied Maine’s financial situation, our fundamental challenge as a state is that – at the moment – we have a shrinking, aging population plus a terrible economic growth rate when compared to our region and the country.

Those two facts mean that our state is currently on a trajectory towards a smaller economy where it gets harder and harder to, (a) make smart investments in education, infrastructure, trade promotion, etc.; and (b) take care of our most vulnerable neighbors as both our faith and tradition say we must.

I am running to serve as governor because I feel a great sense of urgency that our next chief executive must make smart, progressive economic growth our number one priority. My campaign is going to be about listening and learning from people across Maine and laying out specific, positive ideas for how – together – we can build an economy that lifts all Mainers.

Positive Leadership: Equality and respect for all
Faced with important, fundamental challenges like a shrinking, aging population and a dismal record of economic growth, one of the great failures of leadership of the past seven-plus years has been the ugly use of the negative and corrosive tactic of scapegoating – which is always easier than actually working hard to solve real problems.

People across Maine are working harder than ever, but they do not feel like they are getting ahead. Instead of providing real solutions to solve real problems like lack of statewide broadband access, or working together to pass legislation that could create thousands of jobs installing solar energy systems, negative leaders tell people the real barriers to success are the newest immigrants in town or the single mother working two jobs.

As a political strategy, blaming “the other” has a long, dark history in Maine, our country, and the world. In addition to being morally wrong, it is not, has never been, and will never be an economic strategy.

As a combat leader in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, I have seen the logical end of politics based on hate and division. One of the personal reasons Paulina and I decided to run for governor is we do not want our three girls and two boys ages 5-12 growing up in a state or country where demeaning others is the only model of leadership.

In addition to being morally wrong, I know from many meetings and discussions that having a governor who demeans other people and the State of Maine makes it much harder for Maine-based companies to attract the top talent they need to grow or to attract new businesses and jobs to the state.

I will be a governor who champions an inclusive, positive vision of Maine as a place where the best and brightest people, entrepreneurs and businesses are invited and welcomed to live, work and enjoy our incredible quality of life – no matter where they are from, how they worship, what color they are, or who they love.

The Best Place in the World: Maine
One of the fundamental things a Governor should do is champion his or her state. I – and many community and business leaders I have spoken with – feel as if the story being told about Maine from the Blaine House for the past seven-plus years has far too often been negative and unhelpful.

Like any state, we have our challenges, but we also have an incredible story to tell to attract people and businesses. Maine:

Has unmatched physical and natural beauty, from over 3,500 miles of coastline, to the biggest mountain peaks east of the Mississippi, Consistently ranks among the highest in the country for quality of life, Has an abundance of renewable energy resources that, with the right new leadership, could make it the first state in the country to produce more renewable energy than it needs, and export the rest, Has the highest percentage of smart meter penetration in the country at 97%, making us an ideal place to build the first smart grid and attract innovative businesses, Has the fastest growing population of young farmers in the country and an unbelievable, award-winning local food scene, Has a world-famous lobster fishery and dozens of other fresh seafood and agricultural products that are of premiere quality and reputation, Is 90 miles from one of the largest markets in the world—the Washington-to-Boston corridor—and is within a short 90-minute flight of New York and Washington, DC, Is leading the world in the research and development of floating offshore wind turbines that could revolutionize energy generation, Has 130 Gigawatts (equivalent of 130 nuclear power plants) of strong, steady offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine within 50 nautical miles of its shores, Is the premier recreation destination east of the Mississippi for hiking, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, skiing, sailing, kayaking, camping, and other outdoor activities. If you ask any of the thousands of Mainers who are living in other parts of the country, they will tell you they would love to come back to live and work in Maine. As the website for Live and Work in Maine puts it: “The competition for talent is global – and high demand talent has the ability to work and live where they choose. Maine’s quality of life should be marketed as a competitive advantage.”

I agree wholeheartedly and would provide the new leadership and hard work required to ensure public resources and private efforts are leveraged to attract people, employers, and visitors interested in traveling for tourism and recreation.

Maine has a great story to tell. We need a governor who is passionate about telling it.

Access to Affordable Healthcare
Access to quality, affordable health care should be a right for every Mainer. I will be a champion for policies at the state and federal level aimed at best achieving that goal.

At the state level, I will immediately sign bipartisan legislation to expand MaineCare to cover an additional 70,000 Mainers. The current governor and his health advisors have been deadly wrong to have opposed and obstructed expansion five times. Thirty-one states, including 17 with Republican governors, agreed to the expansion, understanding both the health impact on individuals and the economic impact on their own states and rural hospitals. In Maine, MaineCare expansion would bring over $500 million per year into Maine, ensuring the survival of beleaguered rural hospitals and health care jobs across the state. For all of these reasons, I will work to support passage of Question 2 this fall – and if it isn’t resolved by then, I will sign MaineCare expansion into law as one of my first acts as governor.

Women's Health
I fully support, and have always fully supported, a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions. I do not believe it is my place or the place of any politician to interfere with a woman’s personal medical decisions.

I will defend Planned Parenthood. I will defend Roe v. Wade, and I will stand steadfastly with friends and allies in the women’s health community to oppose federal and state efforts to restrict a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions or to cut funding for women’s health care.

The day before I deployed to Iraq, my wife Paulina and I found out we were expecting our first child. When I returned, our daughter was already five months old. It was so hard to be apart. All I could do was worry and be as supportive as possible from half a world away.

Paulina shouldered the burden of being a military spouse, going to all of those prenatal check-ups and first visits with the pediatrician without me. We were lucky; she had a pregnancy without major complications and good insurance.

When I was in Iraq, Paulina was making countless decisions without me. I trusted her. And I trust other women to make the decisions that are best for them and their families.

Lifelong education and opportunity
As one of the premier Maine labor economists said to me recently, “the best way to think about successful education for today’s economy is to think of a constant cycle between the classroom and the workplace over the course of a life, with everyone taking responsibility – individuals, parents, teachers, schools, employers, and policymakers.” That is the view I will take as governor.

I grew up in a family of public school teachers and graduated from Sanford High School. I served on my hometown school board and helped lead efforts to rebuild Sanford’s high school into a modern school and vocational center before resigning my seat to be deployed to Afghanistan in 2013. I worked my way through Colby College before enlisting in the Army after graduation. I have had countless hours of additional education and vocational training through my service in the Maine Army National Guard’s 133rd Engineering Battalion. And I received a law degree from the University of Maine School of Law. I will make education a top priority for Maine as governor.

Taking an overall view of Maine’s pre-K-12, college, and community college systems, I have several key priorities:

PRE-K-12: We need to honor the will of Maine voters who have twice directed the state to fund 55 percent of K-12 education costs. We cannot allow one-in-five Maine children to be “food insecure” – the worst record in New England and the 18th worst in the country. No child learns when they are hungry. This is a failure for all of us in Maine and fixing it will be one of my top priorities. We need to set a goal of leading the country on quality universal pre-kindergarten opportunities. It is known fact, per Maine State Chamber of Commerce funded research studies, that for every dollar invested in pre-K education, taxpayers save money in future costs related to addiction, incarceration, and other similar costs. Studies show that we start to lose Maine young people by around eighth grade if they do not believe they have a path to either an affordable college education or a rewarding, skilled career. We need entire communities, as well as teachers and policymakers, to get creative and involved to make sure they do. COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE: We need to make college affordability a priority. While Maine has one of the highest percentages of high school graduates, we have one of the lowest percentages when it comes to graduates who go on to receive a two or four year degree. I applaud the recent decision by several University of Maine schools to offer an innovative, individualized approach to helping students afford their tuition above and beyond their Pell Grant awards, but we need to do more. I am listening and studying the best approaches for Maine and will have more to say on this issue during the campaign. We need to work harder at providing access to skills training, apprenticeship programs and other innovative approaches to connect young people, and those who want or need to make changes during their careers, with the skills they need for new, well-paying jobs and careers. I will also work to get business leaders and University of Maine and Maine Community College system leaders working together and moving more quickly to ensure we are providing the education, training, and skills Maine companies are looking for and need in order to grow right here in Maine.

Bold Energy Leadership
Today, Mainers are among the most vulnerable to spiking foreign energy costs, as we are among the most dependent in the country on oil for home heating and gasoline powered vehicles for our long commutes to work. On top of that, for seven-plus years, we have had an administration that is ideologically opposed to developing clean, local, renewable energy sources.

Ten years from now, Maine could be the first 100% renewable energy state in the country – in fact, we could produce more energy than we consume as a state and become the first “exporter” of renewable energy in the country. We can also build our economy and grow jobs by becoming a global leader in industries that support renewable energy, such as smart grid technology, demand and response technologies, non-transmission alternatives, and distributed energy solutions. That is a bold, progressive vision for Maine’s future.

All the pieces are here: We have the natural resources, the research and development expertise, the entrepreneurial capabilities, and a history of being pioneers in clean energy solutions. What we are missing is the experienced leadership to put the pieces together.

I have worked for 16 years in energy law and energy policy, and I have led a number of energy businesses. I helped devise an energy storage solution that would have prevented ratepayers from funding a $20 million transmission line built on the Boothbay peninsula and recently helped close one of Maine’s largest solar power deals in Kennebunk. I was also honored nationally by President Obama’s White House in 2013 as a “Champion of Change” for my work as “a veteran working to advance clean energy and climate security.”

As governor, I will have a ten-year plan for renewable energy leadership. I will immediately submit a solar energy bill like the one Speaker Sara Gideon showed great leadership in creating alongside a broad coalition of stakeholders, including rooftop, grid scale, and community solar solutions. That bill was killed by only two votes by the current governor. This change alone could help Maine create or support thousands of good paying jobs for engineers, plumbers, electricians, installers and others. While Massachusetts has over 14,000 people employed in solar energy, Maine’s poor policy means we only have a few hundred jobs.

As the only energy expert and entrepreneur running for governor in either party, I will be releasing detailed plans to:

Unleash Maine’s solar energy potential by passing legislation to grow rooftop, grid scale, and community solar solutions and jobs across the state, Ensure that Maine, through work by the University of Maine, becomes the world leader in the design and manufacture of offshore floating wind turbines and stays on track to generate at least 5 Gigawatts – the equivalent of five nuclear power plants — of power from the Gulf of Maine by 2030, Continue to support Maine’s leadership regionally when it comes to generating properly sited onshore wind energy, Support and help promote Maine’s other local renewable energy sources and the entrepreneurs working to build leadership in their fields, including tidal power generation, biomass, wood-based biofuels, and other energy technologies, Champion Maine as the ideal place for America’s first true smart grid, linking our highest in the nation penetration of smart meters (97 percent) to our abundant sources of local, renewable energy while pioneering the storage infrastructure required to make intermittent sources provide consistent, cost effective renewable energy to Maine citizens and export the rest to the region, Actively champion Maine as the leader and future hub of renewable energy innovation and technology leadership. We will aggressively seek out and attract federal, private and foundation capital investments to build Maine’s research and development infrastructure, so entrepreneurs looking to build the next generation, clean energy economy will want to start or grow their business and create jobs here in Maine.

Protecting Maine's Environment
As a born and bred Mainer who grew up hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping with my Maine Guide grandfather, protecting Maine’s clean water, clean air, abundant natural beauty and diverse wildlife is a core value for me.

As someone who cares deeply about growing Maine’s economy and creating jobs, I believe our next governor must have a vision that sees our natural beauty – and policies that protect that natural beauty – as one of Maine’s top economic assets when it comes to both:

Growing and supporting Maine’s rural economy, our fishermen and women, and all the small businesses and communities who depend on the tourism and recreation income for their livelihood, Attracting new people, entrepreneurs and businesses to Maine. My vision of environmental leadership, which I will talk about more during the campaign, has a few core principals. Among those are:

Honoring our heritage. Generations of Mainers of all stripes, regardless of party, have cared about conserving Maine’s great natural heritage. We must do the same. Continuing Senator Muskie’s legacy. Senator Muskie led our country in creating the first clean water and clean air laws. Those were hard fought battles against entrenched interests at the time, but there is no one who can argue that we are not immeasurably better off today as a result of his farsighted leadership. Maine must continue to provide that leadership for the next generation, meeting the new challenges we face today. Believing in science and doing what is right for Maine. Ask a fisherman, a hunting lodge owner, or a world-renowned scientist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and they will tell you: our climate is changing. And, more importantly, those changes are already having massive consequences for Maine. Maine must lead aggressively. That means Maine becoming 100% renewable energy within ten years, actively supporting the Paris Climate Agreement, and joining the United States Climate Alliance on day one, and working urgently with Maine fishermen and women and scientists to protect the health of the Gulf of Maine fishery. Respect for traditional uses and access to Maine lands. We need to make sure all voices in all parts of Maine are heard when it comes to environmental policies and priorities, including the voices of people who have traditionally enjoyed access to Maine’s land for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and other forms of recreation.

School Safety: Filling the Leadership Gap with a Comprehensive Approach
One of the reasons we need change and new leadership in our political system is because of issues like gun safety and school shootings. My wife and I have five school age children and we are sick and tired of seeing nothing happen time after time, year after year when these school shooting tragedies occur. People retreat to their typical partisan corners and nothing happens. Nothing changes.

Meanwhile, my kids had lockdown drills and one of my daughters woke up with nightmares after the latest shooting in Parkland, Florida. And if this needed to be any more real, Ellsworth officials just intervened with a young person who had told friends he wanted to be “the most notorious school shooter in American history.”

No one in this race has more experience with firearms than I do. I got my first shotgun at age ten from my Maine Guide grandfather. I grew up hunting and fishing all over Maine. I am also a 20-year combat veteran who served and lead Soldiers during three combat tours in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan where we lost lives. I own several guns. No one can credibly question my second amendment credentials – and I support common sense gun safety measures, as well as a comprehensive approach to working together to reverse this awful trend.

Leadership has been missing

We have not had leadership on this issue in Augusta, from anywhere, over these past years. It will begin in the first month of my administration.

I will bring students, parents, teachers, law enforcement, health professionals, sportsmen and women, and citizens from all parts of Maine together at the Blaine House for a School Safety Summit. I will lead a process that addresses the issue of school violence in a comprehensive way that leads to action. That is the way change will happen.

I worked hard to save Iraqi students, young people, and families from violence in Iraq with my Adopt an Iraqi Village program. I am sure as heck going to do everything in my power to make sure Maine schools don’t become killing grounds here at home.

Effective background checks

Anyone who wants to buy a gun needs to show they are not a danger to themselves or others, which means effective background checks – and anyone who wants to carry a gun needs to demonstrate they know how to use it safely and responsibly.

I believe one of the reasons Maine has been unable to enact laws for effective background checks is that we have not brought sportsmen and women and rural Mainers into the process of designing a law that can be effective and earn the votes and support of Maine people. As a sportsman, a rural Mainer, and a second amendment supporter who understands weapons – I will make sure those voices are at the table and respected. I believe we can find a way to both make our schools safer and respect Maine’s unique traditions.

Combat firepower for combat only (or safe, professional sport ranges)

In combat, like most Soldiers, I carried my M-4 rifle and seven 30-round magazines. I know there are friends of mine who will not like to hear it, but in this day and age, with the tragedies we are facing, if you are not in combat I do not believe you need combat firepower.

As someone who actually understands weapons, here’s what that means – there really is no such thing as an “assault weapon.” What we need to do is prevent people from having high-capacity magazines that allow them to shoot any weapon 30-times down range without reloading. Again, that is the firepower I had in combat. Some have talked about doing away with 10-round magazines. While some people who do not understand weapons may think banning these magazines alone is decisive, I know there are people who will just tape smaller capacity ones together to make reloading faster, as they did the last time a specific magazine size was specified by law. It is still worth doing, since those few seconds could be crucial in today’s world.

I don’t know if this has ever been suggested or would be possible, but – for law abiding citizens who really like to fire off higher round magazines within the confines of safe, secure, professional shooting ranges for sport, maybe there is a way to allow for that, if we all show each other respect and work together in good faith.

No bump stocks

We outlawed fully automatic weapons (machine guns) in the 1930s. Bump stocks turn weapons into machine guns. They should be illegal. Period.

Stop hollowing out our healthcare system

We have to realize that these school shootings are not just about gun laws or background checks – and that changing those laws alone won’t solve the problem. Many of these situations involve young people who are deeply alienated and in real turmoil before resorting to these heinous violent acts. Some of them have left warning signs leading up to these incidents. The problem is we have so hollowed out our healthcare system at the state, federal, and local level, school and community health professionals who could intervene are so overwhelmed and understaffed, those clues are not acted on. It should be crystal clear we all have an interest in ensuring we have a health system that is able to identify and intervene effectively before these situations result in violence. Adequate public health and mental health systems should be seen as smart investment in strong, healthy communities – and the best way of intervening with people going through the kind of turmoil that leads to these school shooting tragedies.

Comprehensive approach

We do our children, our communities, our state, and country a disservice by retreating into our predictable corners. We need to look at all of the issues contributing to a culture where these school shootings and mass shootings are becoming more and more common. In addition to responsible gun rules and adequate investment in healthcare, we need a discussion on other issues as well.

Culture. Do we really think it is appropriate to have young kids with developing brains watching hours and hours of video games that are all about shooting everything on screen? Do we do enough to keep other violent content on TV, movies, or music away from young, developing brains? What actions can we take to change that de-sensitizing culture? Can the people who make those products come to the table and be part of a constructive conversation? Parents and guardians. I know we have all seen some of these stories about telltale signs leading up to these incidents and wondered – where were the parents or guardians? I know every child is not lucky enough to have a safe, secure, stable home and there are plenty of parents who struggle with real challenges. However, we need to be clear, somehow, that parents and guardians have a primary responsibility for raising red flags and asking for help. Perhaps there is an education campaign that lets parents and guardians know where and how to access help when they have concerns.

Effective exercise of your voting rights. Some people are always mystified that some gun safety proposals have 80% or better public support in a poll, but then lose in Congress or the state legislature. Here’s why: People who oppose gun safety laws always vote based on that one issue. People who support gun safety laws rarely do – because they also, rightly care about ten other issues, like school funding, etc. We need to make sure we vote for people who will vote for sensible gun safety laws if we want change.

I will provide the leadership that has been missing in Maine on the issue of school and gun safety. With a comprehensive approach and working together, we will reverse this awful trend and protect our children, our teachers, and our schools.

Infrastructure and economic competitiveness
One of the great failures of “politics as usual” at both the state and national level has been our inability to maintain our existing infrastructure while investing in new, competitive infrastructure like high-speed broadband and smart grid technology. Or, paraphrasing something Senator Angus King has said, “While the Greatest Generation won World War II and built the Interstate Highway System, we have somehow proven ourselves unable to even fix the potholes.”

While the American Society of Civil Engineers has given Maine a "C-" on its 2016 report card and noted that literally billions of dollars are needed to shore up drinking water, wastewater, roads and bridges, the current administration has done very little to take advantage of what have been historically low interest rates to propose any kind of bold vision for building Maine’s competitive infrastructure. For anyone with any business sense, this is just an awful missed opportunity for our state and our people. In fact, according to the most recent U.S. Census data, Maine ranks 46th in the country in terms of per capita public investment in infrastructure.

This is an essential area where I will bring new leadership, innovation and change to state government. A top priority for economic growth and job creation will be a plan to make and attract major investments to give Maine region-leading infrastructure, including high-speed broadband in every part of Maine that is needed to compete in today’s global economy.

A modern, innovative view of “infrastructure” also takes Maine’s natural resources into account. “Natural infrastructure” means recognizing:

a healthy, resilient Gulf of Maine is essential to our entire fishing, coastal and rural economies, healthy, resilient Maine forests protect the deer, moose, fish and other game populations essential to our sporting and recreation economy and our clean water and clean air quality, healthy, resilient lakes, ponds, streams and rivers support our recreation and sporting economy and allow sea-run fish populations critical to our economy to grow and thrive, healthy and adequate watershed areas help prevent damage from flooding and reduce the need for “built” infrastructure like water filtration plants, which cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

Agriculture leadership and infrastructure
With change, vision and new leadership, I believe Maine can be a regional and national leader when it comes to agriculture, aquaculture, and quality, healthy local food. We already have one of the fastest growing populations of young farmers in the country. Our “farm, field and sea to table” ecosystem and creative Maine chefs have already garnered national and international reputations.

I will talk in more detail about building on this leadership over the course of the campaign, but here are some core ideas that will guide us:

Helping more people start and succeed at small farming. How can we listen and partner with all folks farming in our communities to help them get started, get over the initial financial hurdles, and grow in sustainable ways? We want to continue to attract the best and brightest people to Maine’s agriculture economy and to help those farms – many in rural parts of our state – succeed. Cross laminated timber. Wood has always been and will continue to be an important commodity. There are whole new generations of products like cross laminated timber, advanced composites, wood based biofuels, and others where Maine can lead and grow our rural economy. We have some of the richest forests east of the Mississippi. As governor, I will partner with Maine’s wood products businesses, workers and communities to see how the state can help provide or attract the capital required for Maine to lead in these emerging industries. Craft brewing and barley. High quality craft breweries are an incredible success story for Maine. More than 80 new breweries have opened in recent years across all 16 Maine counties. Today, these folks are still getting their barley from farms and companies in the Midwest or beyond. Yet, barley is an exceptional rotational crop that can be grown right here in Maine. As governor, I will work to bring leaders together to find out how the state can support the growth of barley both for Maine brewers and as an export crop. Agriculture infrastructure and food hubs. One challenge that has received some discussion when it comes to building an even stronger “small farm economy” in Maine is food hubs. How can we make sure there is infrastructure available that allows farmers to easily save or freeze fresh produce and other products so they can be sold beyond the growing season? I will actively look at how the state can help support, create or attract the capital needed to build these food hubs. There is no reason Maine cannot become a booming provider of quality, local, natural and organic food for the northeast and beyond. Supporting and partnering to grow the agriculture and aquaculture sectors. Several private sector companies have studied Maine’s most competitive or potentially competitive industries and concluded that agriculture and aquaculture are both very promising sectors. The work, done by Focus Maine, projects that a smart focus on these sectors (plus biopharmaceuticals and knowledge workers) could lead to 10,000 jobs over the next ten years. I will look for ways to partner and support these efforts where it is appropriate for the state to do so. Broadband for agriculture and aquaculture businesses. Access to high-speed broadband is very important for the modern farmer. So many things — from irrigation and water use to fertilizing, etc. — can all be made more cost effective and competitive with access to wireless and GPS technology. All other businesses involved in selling or marketing Maine agricultural products obviously require access to affordable, quality high-speed broadband.

Veterans and military families
Maine has the fourth highest percentage of military veterans in the country. I am one of them, as is my father and my grandfather, who was a young Marine at Iwo Jima, and as are many others in my family.

My election would mark the first time in 27 years that Maine had a governor who was also a veteran (McKernan, 1990). I would bring to office a passion for both those who have served and each and every one of the military family members whose sacrifice and support are essential.

My 20 years of military service in the Maine Army National Guard and my leadership roles in three combat deployments to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan have made me intimately aware of the challenges faced by current service members, veterans, and their families. I have also spent a lot of time with my brother and sister veterans from other wars, conflicts, and times in the service, and I understand many of their unique challenges.

I have faced my own challenges and struggles with the Veterans Administration health system through various injuries, including two blown shoulders that led to my retirement from the Guard.

I also understand how hard it can be, economically, to leave behind a small business when you serve in the Guard and are called for deployment. Those situations put enormous pressure on families, businesses, and whole communities.

I will be a champion for active duty service members, veterans of all periods of service, and their family members. I will be a loud, clear, forceful voice for state and national policies that address their challenges – and a friend in the Blaine House.

Maine's Native American Tribes
I have great respect for Maine’s Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, Maliseet and Micmac tribes. I have enjoyed meeting the leaders I have already and look forward to meeting the rest. I believe each tribe has a rich, unique history in Maine, and I respect that the tribes “possess a nationhood status and retain inherent powers of self-government,” as U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall put it in 1830.

As governor, I will ensure the tribes are a part of my administration, have a regular seat at the table and regular interaction with both me and my senior leadership team, and that their voices are heard and respected on the issues.

Maine’s Native citizens face many of the same challenges the rest of Maine does, but even more acutely in many cases. As a state with very little racial diversity today, my administration would hold as one of its principal goals that life for Maine’s Native citizens gets measurably better during my time in office.

Maine Seniors
Maine has one of the oldest populations in the country, whether you look at it through the lens of median age (44.6, the oldest in the country) or the percent of persons 65 or older (18.8%, the second oldest). As part of our mission to honor our commitments to Mainers who have worked hard their whole lives, we need to build a growing, innovative economy that provides good jobs and attracts a growing population of younger people so that the State can maintain.

First and foremost, while Maine seniors are a diverse bunch when it comes to finances, there are many who struggle to make ends meet on fixed incomes. We need to protect retirement income that has been earned over a lifetime, whether it is Social Security, a pension, or being vigilant about rules regarding private retirement funds.

Second, policymakers need to keep in mind that any spike in living costs – whether it is higher heating or health care costs, increased property taxes, or other costs – can force terrible choices between food, medicine, heat or other essentials needed to live comfortably. The cost of prescription drugs is a huge burden, and creating uncertainty about health care coverage is incredibly damaging and, I know in my community, very scary for people.

One of the great wishes Mainers have as they get older is to be able to stay in their homes and communities, near their family and friends. There have been recent small pilot projects towards creating more senior housing to meet that need. There are other ways, as well, that the state can innovate, grow our economy and improve the quality of life for Maine seniors.

Broadband infrastructure and home health care. One more reason to invest in true high-speed broadband across Maine is this: The entire medical industry is moving towards being able to offer more and more health care services, preventive care, and monitoring via home technology. This offers tremendous opportunities for Maine seniors to be able to stay in their homes longer and in better health, while reducing health care costs dramatically – but only if Mainers are able to connect at the speeds required. Renewable energy and home power and heating costs. One of the most variable costs, as Mainers know all too well, is the price of a gallon of home heating oil. When it jumps up, so many Mainers – again – are forced into the math of how many gallons of oil they can afford and do they need to split their prescription pill in half. I believe Maine’s renewable energy future, with abundant, local, dependable sources of power, will provide stability in power and heating that foreign oil never will. Innovation and aging in place. Maine Startup and Create week had a whole panel discussion with business leaders from around the country on “How can innovation support aging in place?” As that session noted, there are 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day in the country and many entrepreneurs and companies working on how to deliver quality services that help seniors stay in their homes. We should work to attract those businesses to both create jobs and provide services to Maine seniors.

Rural Maine
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Maine was the most rural state in the nation in 2010, with 61.3 percent of its population living in rural areas. And yet, it often seems like the only voices heard and the only issues being debated in Augusta come from our state’s more urban areas.

I was born and raised in Sanford, Maine – a rural former mill town. Like so many rural Maine families, I come from a family where the military and hunting and fishing are tradition. I will always ensure that rural Mainers and legislators and other elected officials representing rural communities are at the table and being heard as policies, priorities and agendas are being developed.

Among the priorities I see and have heard when it comes to growing Maine’s rural economy are:

Basic respect, a seat at the table, and a partner in the Blaine House. No tax cuts favoring Portland, Southern Maine, or Maine’s top one-percent at the expense of rural Mainers. The current administration’s tax policies offered large tax cuts for wealthy southern Mainers and higher local property taxes for rural communities. State government should strive to meet revenue sharing goals. Revenue sharing is an important way that wealthier, more densely populated areas can support the health of the whole state’s economy, especially rural areas. Attacks on revenue sharing are property tax hikes on rural communities. Broadband infrastructure. Rural children start out behind if their parents have to park outside public libraries or coffee shops to try to poach Internet signals so that their child can do their homework. Small and medium sized companies can’t grow – and larger employers cannot expand – where there is not adequate, regionally, and nationally competitive broadband speed available. Expanding Maine’s true high-speed broadband infrastructure will be my number one economic and job creation priority. Agriculture infrastructure. Maine is lucky to have a growing population of young farmers, a vibrant food scene, and, as sector data says, the opportunity to grow thousands of jobs in agriculture and aquaculture. With the right support and policies, these jobs can be an important lift for rural Maine.

Recreation & Tourism Economy
When it comes to Maine’s recreation and tourism economy, we desperately need change and new leadership. For the past seven-plus years, we have had an administration fighting to dismantle Maine’s long, non-partisan tradition of working together to ensure protection of and access to Maine’s naturally beautiful and bountiful places.

I will work to protect natural places and ensure that people have access to Maine’s natural beauty. As someone with a business background, I will conduct a review to ensure we are doing all we can as a state to advertise and attract people from all over the country to come spend their recreation dollars here in Maine.

Born and raised in a hunting and fishing family from rural Maine, I would return the Blaine House to a place where sportsmen and women, conservationists, Maine Guides, lodge owners, outfitters, hunters, fishermen, snowmobilers, hikers, and others have a regular seat at the table and the opportunity to contribute to sensible policies.

As the 1987 state law creating the successful Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program stated, “the future social and economic well-being of the citizens of this State depends upon maintaining the quality and availability of natural areas for recreation, hunting and fishing, conservation, wildlife habitat, vital ecologic functions and scenic beauty…” The central economic importance of smart conservation policies was also underscored in 2004 by a comprehensive joint study by the Muskie School of Public Policy and the Margaret Chase Smith Public Policy Center, which stated: “Maine land conservation especially under LMF is rightly to be viewed as a basic infrastructure investment in the future of Maine’s environment, economy, and cultural heritage. Like our rail or highway systems, it is a foundation upon which coming generations of Maine people will build their economy and culture, to reflect Maine values, needs, priorities, and diversity.”

Budgets, priorities, and values
I believe any budget, including a family budget or the state budget, is fundamentally a values document that expresses what our priorities are. Here are some things you can expect in a Cote Administration:

Every line and item will be scrutinized and the priority will always be on how public dollars support the goal of creating good jobs, growing Maine’s economy and – wherever possible – supporting people who are working hard to make ends meet. I and anyone who works in my administration will always stay engaged, work hard, and show respect to anyone honestly participating. I will not, as governor, ever drop my budget and walk away from the process, refuse to participate or allow appointees to participate, and then veto the bipartisan solutions others develop. That is failed leadership, pure and simple. With a military and business background versus a traditional political one, I will expect rigorous cost projections to evaluate each program or proposed program. Wherever possible, I will insist on metrics showing return on investment (ROI) and program effectiveness. Openness to reform and new ways of doing things. A lot has changed over the past 30-plus years. There are innovators in state and local government and in the private and not-for-profit sector across the country finding new ways to collect and analyze data, develop new solutions to problems, and measure success. We need a governor who sees reform and renewal as a smart way to leverage each public dollar more efficiently and deliver outcomes for Maine taxpayers. In a Cote administration, we will measure success by the number of new jobs created and by reducing the number of Mainers – especially children - living in poverty. While we can disagree about many things, we cannot accept living in a state where one-in-five Maine children – 55,000 kids, the worst rate in New England – go to bed and go to school hungry.

Work, responsibility, and community
We need change and new leadership if we are going to address Maine’s fundamental challenges and build a growing, thriving statewide economy. It will not be an easy task. Maine does face serious challenges. One point is clear: If we are going to be successful, we are going to need every person in Maine to do their part. We all have a job to do.

Students need to work hard in school. Parents need to make sure their children are working hard in school. Everyone – rich, poor, in the middle – needs to pay what they owe in state taxes. We all need to save some of what we earn for the future. Every working age person who is able needs to try their best to find a job and work. Elected officials across every office in Maine need to ensure public dollars are used wisely to support policies and programs that deliver public good. And we all need to treat each other with respect. If I am governor, my office, my budget, and my daily work will focus on creating good jobs and ensuring that, wherever possible, state policies and incentives make life a little bit easier for those who are working hard to get ahead.

Equal Pay for Equal Work
This year marks the 54th anniversary of the federal Equal Pay Act, passed in 1963, to ensure that every American would be paid equally for their hard work, regardless of gender. Yet, more than five decades later, women in Maine earn almost $9,700 a year less than their male counterparts for the same work.

In the Army, I was proud to serve with talented and courageous men and women, and we were all paid based on rank and time of service. Here is my view: if women earn equal pay serving their country in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, then they should expect to earn equal pay in Bangor, Presque Isle and Lewiston-Auburn.

Equal pay for equal work means that families across Maine can be more financially secure and active in our economy. This isn’t just common sense; it’s good policy.

As governor of Maine I will fight to make sure that every single citizen is paid fairly for the work they do, regardless of their gender.

Maine's Drug Crisis
Maine had the second largest increase in opioid deaths in the United States from 2014 to 2015 (behind DC) and deaths soared in 2016 by nearly 40 percent to claim a record 378 people. This crisis is killing more than one Mainer per day, crushing families and communities, stretching our medical and law enforcement systems, and costing our communities, state, and economy dearly.

Change and new leadership are desperately needed. I am working closely with leaders in the public and mental health communities to develop a comprehensive plan. Here are some ways I believe we need to lead:

Declare an emergency. Arizona and Florida have both declared the opioid crisis an emergency and Maine should do the same. These numbers and the lives ruined are staggering. It is time to act. Stop trying to arrest our way out of a public health crisis. We need to help people battling addiction and get them the treatment they need. I applaud the work of the Scarborough Police Department and their “Operation Hope” program that places those struggling with opioid addiction into treatment programs, usually out of state. We need a governor and statewide leadership to address this challenge in every community. Join the National Governor’s Association Compact to Fight Opioid Addiction. In July 2016, 46 of the nation’s governors signed the NGA Compact – but Maine’s Governor did not. Forty-six other governors agree on improving access to Narcan and medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and to increasing spending on addiction recovery programs. We need leaders – in the Blaine House and at the Department of Health and Human Services – who will get with the program and act.

Fighting for fair trade and Maine workers
I will be an aggressive champion for Maine workers and Maine jobs anywhere, anytime. That means both getting personally involved to advocate for trade policies that are fair to Maine workers – and getting personally, regularly involved where appropriate to help workers and Maine companies sell more products and open new markets around the country or the world.

While I have not spent a lot of time in Augusta, I was born and raised in a family of public school teachers in a rural former mill town. My Pepere (Grandfather) was a welder at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Over my 20-years of service and three combat tours with the Maine Army National Guard’s 133rd Engineer Battalion, I have worked with thousands of skilled tradesmen and women.

When it comes to trade, priority number one will be working with Maine workers and businesses to make sure the state is doing everything possible to open up new markets and new opportunities for Maine products and services.

Priority number two will be actively fighting for national and regional policies that ensure Maine workers and Maine employers compete on a level playing field with workers from any other part of the world. I support an aggressive stance by the United States in renegotiating NAFTA. Maine has a critical stake in those talks with more than 38,500 Maine jobs connected to our largest export country, Canada, alone and more than 50,000 manufacturing jobs overall. I will fight for Maine’s wood products industry to ensure fair trade from Canada and also fight to prevent a “race to the bottom” because of low Mexican wages caused by weak labor representation.

I also agree with former Maine Senator George Mitchell that our state and country have not done enough over the past 30-40 years to help workers who do get displaced by trade or changes in technology. That is why I have committed to making Maine a national leader on this issue and making it a central priority of my administration. Under a Cote administration, in addition to pursuing existing Trade Adjustment Assistance and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity funding, Maine will pioneer new, locally-based ways to match dislocated workers with in-demand jobs and the skills they need to fill them.

In my military service, a core value is that you “leave no one behind.” I believe the same is true for Maine’s economy. We cannot afford to have thousands of Mainers left behind, not participating in our economy. We can do better with a governor who is committed to remembering those Mainers every day.

Political Background and Values
ADAM COTE: A PROUD MAINER, COMBAT VETERAN, AND DEMOCRAT FOR GOVERNOR Since most of the other candidates running for governor have been running for office for years or decades and I have not, I thought it would be helpful to share some information about my political background. While my leadership experience is different and comes from 20 years of service in the Maine Army National Guard including three combat tours and 16 years working as a renewable energy entrepreneur and attorney, I have been an active, involved Maine Democrat for 26 years. There have been several times during my military career where the Hatch Act prevented me from being publicly active politically, but – I registered to vote in 1991, joined the Colby College Democrats in 1992, supported and volunteered for a bunch of Democratic candidates over the years, and founded the Maine Young Democrats in 2006. I switched my registration to Republican to vote for John McCain over George W. Bush in the 2000 Republican presidential primary, but other than that, for the last 26 years, I have:

1991: Registered to vote as a Democrat

1992-1995: Served in the Colby Democrats

1992: Caucused for California Governor Jerry Brown Presidential campaign in Sanford

1994: Volunteered for Joe Brennan's Gubernatorial Campaign

1996: Enlisted in the US Army, deployed to Bosnia

1998: Returned from Bosnia deployment and started law school at the University of Maine

2003-2005: Called up, prepared and deployed to Iraq War as member of the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineering Battalion Paulina had our first child while I was deployed and I had several shoulder surgeries on return

2006: Worked with Maine Democratic Party to found/start the Maine Young Democrats

2007-2008: Ran for Congress and came in second, won over 15,000 votes in Democratic primary Supported Chellie Pingree in the general election Served as Sen. Barack Obama’s Maine Veterans Coordinator in the general election

2010: Supported State Senator Libby Mitchell’s gubernatorial campaign and advised her on renewable energy policy

2011 - 2016: Fulltime, active duty with the Maine Army National Guard, including deployment to Afghanistan; Prevented from active, public political involvement by the Hatch Act Supported Mike Brennan's successful 2011 Portland Mayoral campaign behind the scenes as part of his kitchen cabinet

2013: Honored at President Obama’s White House as one of 12 veterans nationwide recognized for their private sector work as a “Champion of Change” for “working to advance clean energy and climate security”

2014: Supported my friend Congressman Mike Michaud’s gubernatorial campaign

2016: Left fulltime active duty in the Guard in December (and Hatch Act requirements)

2017: First Democrat to announce run for Maine Governor in April 2017 Asked to work with former President Obama’s Organizing for America (OFA) to rally support for protecting health care under the Affordable Care Act with Bangor Daily News op-ed on protecting veterans’ health care.

2018: Putting my full heart and soul into a tireless grassroots campaign to win back the Blaine House in November 2018, and then work just as governor to build an economy that works for all Mainers

So, while I will certainly never win the “biggest political insider” award, I am proud of all the work I have done to help fellow Democrats, my country, and my community over the last twenty-six years. As a candidate for governor, I am working hard to unify our party so we can work together and win elections – from governor to town council, from Fort Kent to Kittery.

What I am hearing from people across Maine is that, given what is happening to our state and country right now – this is not the time for petty squabbles and politics as usual. It is essential that we have leaders with a clear vision and strong values – and that we win in 2018. I believe people are looking for change and new leadership focused on a positive vision for Maine’s future. I hope you will join our campaign and help us win back the Blaine House.

Young Mainers
I believe the next generation of Mainers, those just entering or not too far out of college or the working world, can transform our state over the next 10 years into a vibrant, growing, entrepreneurial place while maintaining our incredible quality of life. Our state needs reform, new thinking, new businesses, and new energy – and I have seen an awful lot of all of those things when meeting with young Mainers across the state. How do we keep our young people here in Maine – and attract young people to help grow our economy? Here are a few things I believe we need to focus on:

Creating good jobs. A lot of good jobs. Making college affordable and finding innovative ways to help with college debt. Increasing access to and affordability of skills, training, and apprenticeship programs linked to quality job opportunities. Making Maine synonymous with “renewable energy leadership and entrepreneurialism.” Demonstrating open, inclusive leadership that respects all people regardless of their race, religion, country of origin, or who they love. Zero tolerance for discrimination. Growing a vibrant innovation and entrepreneurial sector where young people with new business ideas can find mentors and financing to start a new business. Building best in class broadband infrastructure, because no young person or business will locate somewhere that doesn’t have it. Supporting and encouraging a vibrant and creative arts, music, food, farming, and brewing scene. Maintaining open access to Maine’s beautiful natural places. Inviting young Mainers to have a seat at the table and input on the issues. ^[36]

Jobs
Maine’s economy depends on our ability to come together and support jobs that harness the strong work ethic and raw talent of Mainers. Maine needs leadership that will champion job creation through investments in infrastructure, research, and education that encourage young people to come to Maine and stay in Maine.

As Maine’s next governor, I will work to boost Maine’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by:

bringing high-speed internet to all of Maine incentivizing college graduates to return or stay in Maine reducing barriers to business startup improving information and assistance with permits and zoning regulations for business prospects encouraging research and development in technology that utilizes Maine’s resources

Health
I envision a health care system that provides access to quality, affordable care for all Mainers. As your governor, I will build cross sector coalitions to address Maine’s challenge of disparities in health care. I will champion efforts to improve our state’s preventative care: physical education for youth, healthy eating options in schools, and screening for curable disease.

School-based Health Centers

To make healthcare more accessible, we need to promote school-based health centers. These are well-used and effective in any Maine schools that have them in place. The Department of Health and Human Services recently cut $5 million in funding to these health centers. This funding needs to be restored and indeed expanded. Funding school-based health centers is an investment in lifelong health — lowering long-term healthcare costs and teaching young people how to lead healthier lives. Addressing the Opioid Crisis

Our immediate challenge is to provide the treatment that addicted people need. However, treatment is not the only solution; we need to work on the underlying issues of drug supply, prescription abuse, and socioeconomic barriers that all contribute to the problem. Maine’s opioid epidemic impacts everyone in the state. The costs to the economy and to the community are enormous. My priority as governor will be to promote research and increase the number of accessible treatment options.

Education
I am committed to putting education at the top of my agenda as Maine’s next governor. As a teacher, I know firsthand that schools are places where students, and indeed the entire community, connect with one another in meaningful ways. Maine can do more to unite education stakeholders and facilitate coordinated approaches to education reform. We need an education system that is family centered, culturally competent, community based, and collaboratively developed. To accomplish this, we need to stop thinking of education, health, and human services in separate silos — and start working together.

Pre-K-12

We need to resist the effort to privatize public education. Education should not be considered a business with a bottom line. Rather, education is the cornerstone of our democracy. It is about enlightening and empowering young minds with knowledge — not producing standardized test scores and profits. Our state must invest in quality preventative health care, daycare for working parents, counseling, and parental support. The earliest years of a child’s education are where we need to make the greatest efforts to ensure that children come to school ready to learn. Higher Education

Maine should ensure affordable higher education by increasing state support for the University of Maine system. We need to improve funding to the Maine Community College System to make it more responsive to workforce demand.

Immigration
Maine’s immigrants and refugees — New Mainers — bring much-needed energy and vitality to our state. Our next governor must develop a comprehensive strategic plan to proactively attract and retain immigrants by welcoming them into Maine’s communities, labor force, and economy.

Recent immigrants to Maine are young, well educated, and motivated. More than 65% of immigrants who have arrived in Maine between 2010 and 2013 have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or some college level training.

As Maine’s next governor, I will advocate for immigrant needs, support educating the broader community about diverse cultures and immigration issues, and champion efforts to provide immigrants with opportunities to work at their full potential. Through these measures, Maine will strengthen its economy and ability to do business with the rest of the world.

Environment
Maine’s leadership should seek to defend the places we love and the environmental values we share. Our children, and our children’s children, must have continuing access to and enjoyment of Maine’s priceless environmental assets.

As Maine’s next governor, I will:

Champion the work of organizations such as the Maine Farmland Trust and other land trusts in keeping farmers on the land and preserving our state’s natural resources. We can implement common sense policies that balance sustainable uses of the natural resources of our forests, fields, and the ocean with conservation to keep Maine green and growing. Focus on implementing renewable energy policy that facilitates the growth of more small, local, flexible, and renewable energy suppliers and away from large scale centralized power production that sends electric energy long distances over large transmission lines. Support the Attorney General’s efforts to stop the federal administration’s efforts to repeal the Clean Power Plan and weaken environmental regulations. We all live downstream, but Maine is particularly exposed to the emissions from power plants to our west. Be vigilant in protecting the waters of our state.

Opioid Crisis
As the national spotlight shines on the opioid crisis, a crisis that has led to more than 64,000 drug overdose deaths in 2016, Maine is center stage. Opioid related deaths in Maine have steadily increased over the last 15 years, with its sharpest increase over the last 3 years.

In 2016, there were 376 deaths due to drug overdoses. 84% of these overdoses were caused by at least one opioid. Fentanyl and/or heroin/morphine caused 63% of 2016 deaths.

From an economic perspective, the total estimated cost of substance abuse in Maine was $1.4 billion dollars in 2010, or a $1,057 cost for each resident of Maine. Costs include substance abuse treatment, morbidity, mortality, crime, medical care, and other related costs.

While certain legislation is being made to improve the state of Maine’s opioid epidemic, our protocol for treatment is lacking. We must do more to address the opioid crisis with a multi-level and evidence-based approach. As Maine’s next governor, I will seek to:

Declare a state of emergency. Under every definition, Maine is in a state of emergency in regards to the opioid crisis. Opioid use in Maine has increased rapidly over the last few years and trending much higher than the national average. In order to gain control over this issue, declaring a state of emergency will push legislation to address the problem. Prioritize and support the development of comprehensive, evidence-based treatment including combinations of individual and group counseling, inpatient and residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, partial hospital programs, case or care management, and medication assisted treatment (MAT) (e.g., recovery support services, 12-step fellowship, and peer support). Address doctor shopping to prevent patients from receiving prescriptions for controlled substances from multiple doctors. The development of prescription drug monitoring programs are useful for providers to check prescriptions across state lines and should be required upon initial prescribing and at set intervals (e.g. 3 months). Ensure that treatment places for substance abuse are on the front lines of the opioid crisis. We need to ensure that we provide assistance to individuals transitioning from intensive care (specialized substance misuse centers) to continuous care (primary health care practices, family services, pain management clinics etc.). Comprehensive treatment plans are more cost effective and have longer lasting results. Reduce knowledge gaps of opioid misuse and to provide alternative pain management options. For instance, education on appropriate diagnosis and treatment of chronic pain. Utilizing the CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain should be encouraged. Other pain management modalities include physical therapy, acupuncture, and non-narcotic therapy. We must unite as a state to provide the community of support that our citizens need to overcome opioid misuse and addiction. The opioid crisis is taking a toll on our resources and our people. We cannot afford to lose the future of our state. We must recognize the seriousness of this epidemic and invest in accessible, preventative, and community centered interventions.

Renewable Energy
Maine has substantial renewable energy resources, with four-fifths of Maine’s renewable energy coming from hydroelectric dams and biomass from wood products. Maine has significant wind resources along the Appalachian ranges in the northwest and along its coastline, and is a leader in wind generation in New England.

In 2016, Maine’s wind turbines produced more than one-eighth of the Maine’s total net electricity generation and three-fifths of all wind generation in New England. Maine’s renewable energy strategy is very beneficial for the state, and Maine’s economy stands to gain significantly from the effort to diversify away from fossil fuel-based sources. Renewable energy has also created temporary and permanent jobs in Maine, while increasing Maine’s gross state product.

Maine can foster clean energy jobs and be a leader in renewable energy by focusing on implementing renewable energy policies that meet the goals of RPS and facilitates the growth of small and local renewable energy suppliers.

Renewable Portfolio Goal: Maine should increase its new renewable-energy capacity by 10% each year. The renewable energy targets for Maine are robust and will require significant efforts by the industry and state to promote and develop the resources necessary to meet this goal. Community-Based Renewable Energy Projects: Maine should prioritize supporting the Community-Based Renewable Energy Program to encourage the development of locally-owned, in-state renewable energy resources through long-term contracts or the Renewable Energy Credit (REC) Multiplier. New Wind Energy Projects: Wind energy achieves reliable, cost-effective, sustainable energy while attracting investment in Maine. Maine should continue to develop the production of new wind energy projects. Maine should aim to install at least at least 3,000 MW by 2020. Clean energy is a priority for our communities in Maine. Maine should continue to invest in renewable energy due to various benefits, which include community benefits from capital and investments across Maine counties and towns. With clean energy, our communities can be renewable and sustainable. It is our responsibility to our state and our kids to take action and lead the country to a cleaner, more sustainable future.

Gun Violence Prevention
Maine’s Constitution is quite clear on gun rights: “Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.” However, there are currently several gaps which need to be addressed, regarding background checks, firearm purchases, and guns on school campuses.

Currently, Maine does not require background checks for gun sales between private individuals, firearms owners to register their weapons, a limit on the number of firearms that can be purchased at one time, or regulation of unsafe handguns. In addition, in 2015, Maine repealed its requirement for a permit to carry a concealed handgun.

Maine should support and implement gun laws that foster responsible gun ownership in order to ensure community safety, without impeding on citizen’s rights based on the 2nd Amendment and Maine’s Constitution.

As Maine’s next governor, I will champion the following:

Background checks: Maine should require a background check prior to the transfer of a firearm between unlicensed parties. Although more than 90% of the American public supports background checks for all gun sales, a dangerous and deadly loophole exists, exempting unlicensed sellers from having to perform any background check before selling a firearm. Maine should follow Rhode Island and Connecticut by requiring all sellers to obtain a completed application form and to submit the form to law enforcement for purposes of conducting a background check. Firearm purchases regulation: Maine should regulate firearm sales by imposing a waiting period between sales and limiting the number of firearms that can be purchased at one time. Maine should pass legislation that prohibits anyone from purchasing more than one handgun within any 30-day period. School safety: Maine should support laws that prohibit guns on college and university campuses. Schools should be a safe haven from the violence, yet Maine lacks the proper legal protection against the presence of firearms on college and university campuses. These recommendations are intended to make Maine safer while permitting recreational gun use, such as hunting, clay target shooting, and gun range shooting. Gun violence has no place in our communities, and guns have no place in our schools. The tragedies that took place at Sandy Hook and other schools across the U.S. demonstrate the devastating effect guns have on our communities. Laws that prohibit guns in schools and impose background checks and limits on sales help to keep our Maine communities safe. Public service requires that we place the needs of the public before ourselves, and that we place the safety of our children in public places before an individual’s right to own any weapon they choose without restriction. ^[36]

Education
Establish Pre-Kindergarten programs in every school district. Provide more teaching time by simplifying testing and accountability rules. Emphasize vocational / technical education at both high school and college levels. Restore university funding lost since 2008. Increase bond funding to the University system for R&D.

Energy
Install high-efficiency insulation in houses, apartments and small business. Increase wood pellet stoves and boilers to boost Maine’s forest products economy. Expand use of COMMUNITY-based renewables: wind, solar and battery storage.

Democracy
Lead efforts to reform the Electoral College. Elect Attorney General by popular vote. Restore democracy to presidential elections through National Popular Vote Compact.

Families
Insure that no one goes cold. Eliminate hunger among Maine’s children.

Healthcare
Expand MaineCare and support the formation of a universally accessible public healthcare system. Develop programs to help seniors age at home. Increase the availability of group housing for individuals in substance abuse recovery. Promote community based overdose response teams.

Immigration
Develop a comprehensive state policy on immigration to accelerate transition of immigrants and refugees into Maine’s workforce.

Rebuilding Rural Economy
Invest State resources in developing aquaculture, wood products and community energy production. Scale up farm-to-table products and expand opportunities for young farmers. Help fisheries and aquaculture find new markets and adapt to Global Warming. Address the lack of enforcement regarding transportation of wood products. Develop homesteading initiative to increase available housing and new residents for Maine’s rural counties. Provide preferential cannabis cultivation licenses to rural Mainers.

Safety
Preserve rural fire and medical emergency response through shared resources. Focus juvenile justice system on restorative justice as its core principle. Prepare all adult inmates for return to the workforce. Reduce employment barriers for individuals convicted of non-violent crimes. Legalize the cultivation and retail sale of recreational cannabis products.

Transportation
Redesign gas tax to provide reliable revenue for roads and bridges. Expand passenger rail and bus service to form statewide network. ^[36]

Improve Education: Support Students, Parents and Teachers
My three children, Elaina, Lucas, and Naomi all attend Maine public schools. Nothing is more important than ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed in this rapidly changing world. I got my start working with families in trouble, going home to home every day. I met parents working long hours and barely making ends meet. I met children who were struggling to adapt to challenges my generation never even dreamed of: violence, opioids, social media and internet bullying. Parents, students, and teachers work miracles every day, but let’s be honest, right now we don’t have their back. We expect more and more from them but don’t give them the tools they need to succeed. I will change that.

Fix the Teacher Shortage One-third of Maine’s teachers are over the age of 55 and will retire in the next seven years. Younger teachers tell us they feel demoralized by the lack of classroom resources and are leaving the profession for better-paying jobs that provide more support. Fewer college students are enrolling in teacher education programs and competition between school districts for the best teachers has gotten more and more fierce, often leaving our rural and less wealthy districts with fewer and fewer options. We must restore the dignity to the profession of teaching. This begins by raising the beginning wage for teacher pay. The minimum teacher salary in Maine has been stuck at $30,000 for the last ten years. As speaker of the house I worked to pass bipartisan legislation to raise the minimum teacher salary $40,000, yet Governor LePage vetoed it. I will reintroduce the “$40k on the first day” legislation and sign it into law.

Fully Fund Our Schools It’s inexcusable that children’s educational opportunities are determined by where they live. Every child deserves a quality education, regardless of their zip code.

The people of Maine voted three times to increase state funding for our schools. In 2016, they even told us how to pay for it when they passed another initiative to create a 3% surcharge on the wealthiest 2% of households. I supported this initiative. When the state doesn’t do its job to fund local schools, districts are forced to cut educational programs and raise regressive property taxes that cost low-income and elderly Mainers the most.

As Governor, I’ll fight to make sure we finally fund 55% of education costs so that seniors and low-income Mainers – who already pay a higher share of taxes than the wealthiest 2% – can stay in their homes.

Invest in Vocational Education For far too long policymakers have been focused on pushing every child into college. While college is a great way for many students to set themselves up for middle-class careers, we must also realize that there are many middle-class jobs in trades that are going unfilled because we aren’t doing enough to provide vocational training opportunities to Maine students.

We must provide the opportunities for students to learn about, and get engaged in, a trade of their choosing. Maine has 27 career and technical education centers that help prepare students for successful careers while they earn their diploma. These vocational training programs can be aligned with industry needs and regions of the state that would employ new graduates. Read my Job Training Plan.

Create a Universal Pre-K System The research is clear, children who attend quality pre-k programs are more prepared and perform better in school than those who don’t. Pre-k programs can make an enormous difference in equalizing the opportunity gap for children who live in poverty. It’s time that we create a real universal pre-k system in Maine.

Stop the Mandates We’re putting more and more requirements on districts, without giving them the resources they need to implement them. As Governor, I will put a moratorium on new mandates so we can assess what is working and how we can support it, and what is not so we can change it. We can’t add new burdens onto teachers every year and expect the same quality of classroom attention, especially when we are already short staffing and underfunding our schools. New programs and requirements take planning, resources, and most importantly, input from those who are doing the work. If we aren’t willing to do that hard work to design and implement new programs, we shouldn’t force local communities to bear new burdens. Local communities are best positioned to determine how to run their own schools – the job of the legislature and the Governor is to figure out how to support them.

Support Working Families How can we expect students to learn if they are hungry? How can we expect teachers to succeed if parents can’t afford to spend time with their children? So many of the challenges that our schools face are out of their control.

The percentage of children living in deep poverty in Maine continues to increase. Nearly half of Maine students now qualify for free or reduced lunch programs. If we want our children to succeed, we have to get serious about ending extreme poverty and childhood hunger, and allow parents to have the time they need to raise their kids.

To support working families we must:

Implement the minimum wage increases that voters approved in 2016 so families don’t have to work two or three jobs just to survive. Enhance programs like Parents as Scholars, that help low-income parents get the education they need to get better jobs. Pass family-friendly initiatives like paid family leave to ensure that every child starts off on the right foot in life.

Putting a Stop to Gun Violence
Maine politicians are usually pretty careful how they talk about guns. The gun lobby is strong, and not afraid to spend money on elections. So many candidates tend to listen to the political experts, and play it safe.

But today it’s clear that this is the kind of thinking that perpetuates horrors like Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Orlando, Las Vegas…and Parkland. Tragedy after tragedy, politicians in Washington and Augusta have failed to stand up to the NRA and pass common sense gun laws.

Maine has a strong tradition and history of hunting and shooting for recreation and sport. But most Mainers, whether they own a gun or not, are horrified by the bloodshed. Responsible gun owners across our state, sportsmen and women, parents, teachers, students, and our law enforcement officials all agree – the senseless violence must stop.

The NRA will tell you that Maine doesn’t have a problem with guns. But I’ll be the first to tell you they are dead wrong.

The death rate due to gun use is higher in Maine than many of our neighbors in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey, according to the Center for Disease Control. Our state ranks among the highest in the nation in the rate of women killed by men and the unrestricted sale of guns in Maine significantly increases the risk of domestic violence deaths, suicides, hate crimes, and homicides. The suicide rate in Maine is significantly above the national average for young adults, age 20-24, and guns account for more than 50% of all suicide deaths.

There are a lot of things we have to do to stop gun violence, but one of them is to stop letting politicians off the hook when they extend sympathy but do nothing to prevent tragedy from happening again. We need leaders in Augusta who will stand up to the NRA. As governor, you can count on me to do that.

Here is where I’ll start:

We need to ban military-style assault weapons. Period. We need to ban high capacity magazine clips and bump stocks, too. We should require a background check on every gun sale. Every single one. We need to do more to keep guns out of the hands of the dangerously mentally ill and domestic batterers, like gun violence protective orders that let you take guns away from the people most at risk of doing something terrible with them. We must keep guns out of our schools. As governor, I won’t mince words and I won’t bow to the gun lobby or those who fear them. I will stand strong for common sense gun laws.

Jobs and the Economy
Maine’s employers, laid-off workers, and young people share the same problem: the doors of opportunity have been closed for too many in our state. Maine families are working hard and playing by the rules, but our state leaders aren’t keeping their end of the bargain.

When I traveled across the state as speaker of the house on my jobs tour, I heard repeatedly from every employer I spoke with that the number one issue facing their industry was finding skilled workers. When I speak to parents across the state, I hear them worry about being able to afford the cost of post-high school education and their children’s ability to find good paying jobs in Maine. And when I’ve spoken with mill workers, who’ve lost their job due to unfair trade policies, I hear the pain and frustration in their voice when they ask, “what am I supposed to do now?”

Workers, young and experienced, are forced to take on incredible amounts of debt just to have a shot at applying for a middle-class job. If we want young people to invest their labor and lives in Maine, we need to encourage them, not threaten them with a lifetime of debt before their careers even begin.

Whether you want to be a shipbuilder, a programmer, a health professional, an electrician, a logger, or an entrepreneur, these days, workers need some form of post-high school training to access many of Maine’s best paying jobs.

Employers need access to highly trained workers to help grow their business. Our community colleges, universities, and K-12 schools should provide the training the next generation needs. But it can’t end there. We must ensure that those who want to learn these skills have the opportunity to do so. That’s why I am committed to developing a regional jobs program. And, I know it will work because I’ve done it.

Growing Maine Jobs Region by Region Maine has struggled to regain the jobs lost during the Great Recession. The rural parts of our state have been left behind. Any economic growth Maine has seen has been concentrated in the southeastern portion of the state. To make matters worse, we’ve had a governor who has made it harder for working families at every turn. I have traveled the state talking to employers, workers, and community leaders about the need for a regional jobs plan that is tailored to the unique needs, assets, and opportunities of each region of the state.

Through a bipartisan effort and partnerships with private industry, I helped create the first-of-its-kind logging training program that helped young students learn a skill and make a livable wage. Today, three community colleges in the northern part of the state all operate the program (Eastern Maine Community College, Washington County Community College, and Northern Maine Community College).

This same regional approach was used to start a precision machining program at the York County Community College, which currently boasts a 100% job placement rate for its graduates. The program is meeting an important workforce training need that is filling jobs at the shipyard, Pratt & Whitney, and nearly 30 other machine shops in the southern part of the state.

We need a statewide assessment to determine what the workforce needs, and where opportunities are by industry and align our vocational, community college and four-year degree programs with them. This will include traditional industries and trades and will also include innovative programing that will prepare students for the jobs of the future – IT, computer science, coding, and engineering.

We must provide the opportunities for students to learn about and get engaged in a trade of their choosing. Maine has 27 career and technical education centers that help prepare students for successful careers while they earn their diploma. These vocational training programs can be aligned with industry needs and regions of the state that would employ new graduates. Recent studies even show that students who graduate from a vocational program are more likely to attend college than their peers who do not participate in vocational program.

To achieve this, I’ll create a cabinet-level position that leads the effort between the Department of Education and the Department of Labor, facilitated by private industry to ensure training, credential and degree programs are meeting workforce needs.

Make Education and Training Accessible to All Every student in Maine should be able to attend a community college or Maine public university tuition-free. The opportunity that comes from education and training must be made more accessible to working families. Too many families forego or fail to complete higher education programs because they can’t afford it and aren’t able to risk taking on large amounts of debt.

Support stranded learners to complete credential and degree programs. Nearly 200,000 Mainer’s have some level of post-secondary education, but have not completed their degree program. By 2025, 60 percent of the population ages 25 to 64 will hold a degree or work credential. Currently the number is 43 percent.

Protecting Our Environment — And Our Way of Life
When people think of Maine they often think of our rocky coastlines, pristine lakes and streams, our blueberry barrens, lobsters, craft beers and most importantly our history of protecting the environment. Senator Ed Muskie’s legacy was cemented in his landmark legislation to protect the water we drink and the air we breathe. Maine must again become a leader in protecting our environment and leading the clean energy economy. Maine’s economy is directly connected to our environment through tourism, outdoor recreational opportunities, and our natural resource based economy.

Environment and Jobs Combating climate change is a both an economic and humanitarian imperative for Maine. Workers in our traditional fishing industry are already experiencing hardship from the ocean acidification that is threatening our lobster and shrimp industry. Our winter tourism industry is a lifeline for western Maine and depends on reliable snowfall. Maine has the largest coastlines in the country, whose many residents would be heavily impacted by rising sea levels. Meanwhile, Maine is seeing an increase in invasive pests such as ticks that hurt our outdoor industry and spread disease like Lyme disease.

We can do our part to mitigate these negative impacts and grow jobs at the same time. Here’s how:

Grow solar. Implement a comprehensive solar policy that creates a stable environment for the growth in residential and commercial solar that would create nearly 1,000 jobs, tripling Maine’s current solar workforce. Establish a clean energy economy. Develop training programs that will support the growing workforce needs of the clean energy economy at our vocational training programs, community colleges and universities. Click here to read our jobs training plan. Weatherize and rebuild our aging housing stock. As speaker I worked to pass a Senior housing bond that included $1 million for weatherizing and upgrading seniors homes. We need to do more to address our aging housing stock. Combat climate change. Become an active member and take a leadership role in the US Climate Alliance. The US Climate Alliance is a bipartisan coalition of states formed in response to the federal government’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. The coalition of states is committed to the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Coordinated action by states across the country will ensure that the United States continues to contribute to the global effort to address climate change. Protect our Quality of Place and Outdoor Recreation Economy One of Maine’s greatest competitive advantages is our outdoor recreation opportunities and our world renowned public lands. To attract young families, support our outdoor recreation economy, and protect the quality of place that all Mainers enjoy I pledge to:

Conserve and protect our public lands and provide access to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. Strengthen the Land for Maine’s Future program. Over the next 10 years an additional 430,000 acres of land will be conserved reaching a goal of 1,000,000 in land conservation. Protecting our clean air and water. Stand up to the dismantling of current environmental protections by President Trump and his administration.

Fixing Health Care
As a trained family therapist and the leader of one of the state’s foremost behavioral health organizations, I’ve seen firsthand what it means for a family to get vital health care and how devastating and deadly it can be when they can’t.

Maine needs a plan to ensure all of our mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, brothers, and sisters have access to affordable, quality, health care. When I was speaker of the house, I never gave up fighting for lifesaving health coverage for Maine families.

Health Care is a Right: Ensure Access to Care for All Expanding Medicaid will be my first act as governor. Since Governor LePage took office, Maine has been heading in the wrong direction on health care. We were the 8th healthiest state in the country in 2010. Now we’re at an all-time low of 23rd in the nation. As the national uninsured rate has dropped over the last few years, Maine’s uninsured rate has remained stagnant. As governor, I will take immediate action to ensure more Mainers have access to health care so they can live a more healthy and prosperous life.

Health care is a right – not a privilege. There are vital steps we must take to improve the health of our citizens and make health care more affordable for families.

IT’S TIME FOR SINGLE PAYER HEALTH CARE The increasing cost of health care is preventing workers from getting raises, preventing our manufacturing industries from competing on the global stage and crushing our small business owners before they can get off the ground. Health insurance companies are taking money that should be going towards care and using it for private profit. It’s time to take the insurance companies out of health care and join the rest of the industrialized world with a universal health care plan.

EXPAND MEDICAID NOW As governor, I will follow through on the will of the people by fully implementing Medicaid expansion. When I was speaker of the house we built a multi-partisan coalition that passed Medicaid expansion five times. Each time it was vetoed by Gov. LePage, but we never stopped working to expand Medicaid.

CREATE A MEDICAID BUY-IN PROGRAM The insurance companies have failed to provide real affordable, quality, health coverage options in Maine and throughout our country. It’s time to give the people of Maine a real choice.

About half of Mainers receive health coverage through their employer and others are covered through Medicare or Medicaid. The balance either purchase insurance through the individual market or are uninsured. These Mainers need affordable coverage options. The Medicaid buy-in program would allow individuals and families to use federal subsidies to purchase coverage through the state Medicaid program on the health care exchange.

INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS Health coverage only matters if Mainers can actually access health services. Too many people in Maine have to drive long distances just to get basic care. We need to increase the use of telemedicine by updating licensing and reimbursement rules. We also need to increase access to maternity care in rural parts of Maine by ensuring that we have a trained workforce in rural Maine to provide necessary services to pregnant women.

Lower Costs, Improve Health Through Wellness and Prevention If we want to get serious about controlling health care costs we need to focus on improving our prevention and wellness programs. As governor, I will:

Rebuild the state’s public health infrastructure by restoring Maine’s public health nurses. Use federal dollars to fund important prevention programs such as cancer screening services. Governor LePage has refused to accept federal funds that could save lives and lower health care costs. It’s unconscionable. Use tobacco settlement funds for prevention including tobacco addiction control. Maine used to have one of the lowest smoking rates in the country. Today, smoking rates in Maine are higher than the national average for both adults and high school students.

Ending the Drug Epidemic
Opioids kill a Mainer every day. One mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, friend, or neighbor – every single day.

Maine is at the epicenter of this drug epidemic that’s swept across the country. In 2017, there were 418 drug-induced deaths in Maine. Drug deaths have increased by 50 percent in Maine over the last three years. As a trained family therapist, I’ve worked on the front lines of treating addiction.

As governor, I will act immediately to address this growing public health crisis in our state. We cannot arrest our way out of this problem. We must implement a comprehensive plan to address our opioid epidemic through prevention, treatment and recovery programs.

My Plan to Address the Opioid Epidemic Focus on Treatment and Recovery

Increase access to treatment by fully implementing Medicaid expansion and coordinate with health care providers to ensure needed treatment programs are available. Customize the Vermont “spoke and wheel” model for Maine. Use Federally Qualified Health Centers as the backbone (some already have the expertise and, with support, could share it with the other FQHCs). There are 18 in Maine, from Fort Kent to York, Belfast to Bingham. Vermont offers treatment and therapy statewide, with a “hub” of medication treatment to reduce chemical dependency and “spokes” of primary care, intensive outpatient services, vocation and housing assistance. Build upon successful partnerships between local police departments, drug treatment providers and other social service agencies to divert people with substance use disorder from jail and into treatment and recovery programs. End the two-year limit on methadone treatment for Medicaid patients and raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for treatment, so that robust counseling services are ensured. Increase payments for treatment and also lift two-year limit on Suboxone. Strengthen and expand recovery networks throughout the state to people who have successfully completed treatment programs are provided the supports to stay on the path of full recovery. Focus on mental health services, housing and employment for people in recovery. Offer recovery coaches available at emergency rooms and clinics, and medication-assisted treatment available for every person with opioid use disorder. Expand the number of detox slots, recovery residence beds, and peer recovery centers. Reinvigorate public health nursing to address the problem of drug exposed newborns. Create a community health worker hotline to help people navigate a very complicated addiction treatment delivery system. Aggressively Prevent Overdoses and Get to the Root of Addiction

Ensure that Naloxone is available to family members and agencies that need it to save the lives of our community members. The most effective use of naloxone is to get it out on the street – to people struggling with addiction- through treatment programs and peer support groups. Invest in evidence-based prevention programs in our schools and communities. Adverse childhood experiences contribute significantly to substance-use disorders in teen and adult years. Use the evidence based education tools for every age group that are outlined in the Surgeon General’s report https://addiction.surgeongeneral.gov/ Prohibit Big Pharma from marketing unnecessarily high-dose opiates. The truth is the big pharma offered a quick chronic pain “solution” (Oxycontin and other addictive opioids) that has helped lead to the current crisis: Chronic Pain is often overlooked in this crisis. We need to look at alternatives to opiates, such as physical therapy, counseling and non-opiate base medication. Support Drug Courts, End Harmful and Ineffective Drug Penalties

Expand drug courts and provide medication-assisted treatment and supportive services to participants. Oppose any efforts to increase simple, low-level drug possession offenses from a misdemeanor to a felony. People who are struggling with substance use disorder should be supported to access treatment and long-term recovery services, not given long and harsh sentences that will make it harder for them to pull their lives back together. ^[36]

Tackling the Opioid Crisis
In 2017, 952 drug-affected infants were born in Maine, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. In the last decade, 7,708 babies were born affected by drugs, 1,024 in 2016 alone, representing approximately 8 percent of all live births in Maine.

At least one person a day dies of a drug overdose, increasingly from heroin and fentanyl.

Two-thirds of the 368 drugged-driving traffic stops in 2016 tested positive for opioids, according to the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Lab: Analysis Maine Rural Drug and Alcohol Research Program at the University of Maine.

In 2015 an estimated 15,000 people received treatment for substance-use disorder in Maine, while another 25,000 could not get treatment because of a lack of capacity or lack of insurance.

There is no silver bullet to this complex problem, which is not simply a public safety or law enforcement matter, but a full-blown public health crisis that leaves thousands of children without a parent, communities devastated, employers without a healthy workforce, and families torn apart.

Here are 10 things we can do:

Target the areas with a high number of overdoses, hospital admissions and drug-related crimes, and provide them with additional medical and economic resources — an opioid version of Pine Tree Zones. Rein in prescribing practices that encourage addiction and put opioids in the hands of people who misuse and divert them. A new law to monitor and limit opioid prescriptions, proposed by the governor and enacted in 2016, is a good beginning, but analyzing prescribing trends and providing better training for prescribers will further reduce overprescribing and diversion. Make naloxone, also known as Narcan, available to every family and agency that needs it. The Maine Board of Pharmacy drafted regulations for over-the-counter naloxone; these rules should be promulgated and adopted. Establish an opioid emergency line — a 2-1-1 line on steroids — to provide accurate information and emergency referrals 24 hours a day. Lift the state’s two-year limit on methadone treatment for Medicaid patients and raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for treatment, which are unrealistic and unsupported by research. Expand drug courts and provide medication-assisted treatment and supportive services to participants. Along with prosecuting those who poison our communities, we must also provide help to users in the most effective way. Provide treatment slots and supportive therapy across the state, along the lines of Vermont’s “hub and spokes” model, providing a “hub” of medication treatment to reduce chemical dependency and “spokes” of primary care, intensive outpatient services, and assistance with housing, employment, and so on. We cannot treat the physiological symptoms without knowing the cause and treating the whole person and his or her family. Make recovery coaches available on call at every emergency room and clinic, and medication-assisted treatment available for every person with substance-use disorder, reducing the revolving door of overdose, revival and addiction. Expand the number of detox slots, recovery residence beds and peer recovery centers, especially in underserved areas, making sure there is always a window of hope. Provide prevention programs in our schools and communities, focusing on self-esteem and decision-making skills, starting in early childhood, and identifying and addressing “adverse childhood experiences” that contribute to substance-use disorders later. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has a registry of effective programs, and the National Institutes of Health has a summary of “life-skills trainings.” Look at what Iceland has done with its community programs for all ages, along the lines of L.L. Bean’s “Take it Outside” focus, markedly reducing their incidences of substance-use disorder. What we are doing now is not winning this war. We must do more than “just say no.” The solution requires compassion, community, a change in culture and our full commitment as a state.

One more overdose is one too many. One more family torn asunder is one too many. One more orphaned child is one too many.

Let’s make 2018 a new beginning.

Expanding Medicaid
For far too long, Maine left billions of federal dollars on the table, while the governors of thirty-one other states (including seventeen Republicans and now-Vice President Mike Pence) have taken advantage of this opportunity. The evidence is overwhelming: the states that took advantage of the expansion have seen lower healthcare costs, healthier citizens, more stable hospital systems, and stronger economic growth:

Medicaid expansion will put Maine hospitals on more stable financial footing. This is particularly important in the rural parts of our state, where many hospitals struggle with the high number of patients without insurance, and are increasingly in danger of closure or consolidation. Medicaid expansion will create jobs and strengthen the Maine economy. The nearly $500 million a year in Federal dollars flowing into the state would create about six thousand new jobs — not to mention the economic benefits of a healthier, more secure workforce. Medicaid expansion will save lives. Approximately 70,000 Maine people will gain access to health insurance, and in turn be able to access regular doctor’s visits, vaccinations, and other forms of preventative care. In particular, increased access to addiction treatment and counseling are critical as we confront the opioid epidemic across our state. That’s why I was so thrilled that Maine voters passed Question 2 by a margin of nearly two to one.

Sadly, Governor LePage is already looking for ways to overrule the people of Maine, arguing that they voted ‘wrong.’ Even more blatantly, Republican candidate Mary Mayhew said yesterday morning that she didn’t believe that the state should expand Medicaid “all because you put a couple sentences on the ballot.”

This is a familiar tactic; as Attorney General, the very first battle I fought with Governor LePage was his attempt to kick thousands of low-income children off Medicaid. As Attorney General, I’m fully committed to ensuring Medicaid expansion is implemented now, in accordance with the will of the people. As Governor, I’ll continue to do everything in my power to ensure every Mainer has access to high-quality and affordable healthcare.

Implementing Ranked Choice Voting
Supporters of Ranked Choice Voting have worked tirelessly, through some tough winter months, to gather the signatures needed to reverse the Legislature’s dramatic repeal of RCV last year. Their work is an inspiring example of grassroots-driven democracy in action, and both for that reason and because I believe that RCV has real potential to encourage civility in politics at every level, I am hopeful that the People’s Veto will be successful.

When my office was asked for an official opinion about the constitutionality of RCV, our attorneys were unanimous that parts of the 2016 ballot referendum conflict with the Maine Constitution, specifically as it applies to general elections for state and legislative offices (as opposed to Federal and primary elections). The Maine Supreme Court, after hearing arguments from all sides, last year issued a unanimous opinion concluding the same thing.

As a result, assuming the People’s Veto campaign is successful, RCV will most likely take effect for all primary contests this June (Congressional, gubernatorial and legislative primaries), and for Federal offices in November, but not for the election of state and legislative offices this November.

I believe that the intent of the RCV movement includes general elections for state offices. It is critical that we sit down and address those provisions of the Maine Constitution that prevent the clearly expressed will of the voters from being fully implemented. For this reason, as Governor, I will commit to drafting an amendment to the Constitution and sending a measure out to the people to allow RCV to be used in all — not just some — elections in Maine.

Defending Women's Rights
Earlier this year, far-right lawmakers in the Maine Legislature said they wanted my resignation — because I advanced a bill designed to ensure women in rural and low-income communities have access to abortion services.

I wish I could say I was shocked by the attacks that get made against anyone who stands up for reproductive freedom and women’s rights, but over my career doing exactly that — co-founding the Maine Women’s Lobby, prosecuting domestic abusers as a District Attorney, and serving as the first woman Attorney General in Maine — I’ve learned that it comes with the territory.

I’ve also learned that the best way to respond is to double-down on the commitments that matter, whether that means accessible healthcare, equitable workplaces, or safe homes. My dedication to those values is absolute, no matter what the other side throws at me, and no matter what office I hold.

That’s why I’m proud that my office successfully appealed a ruling that would have allowed aggressive protesters to harass women seeking medical attention at Planned Parenthood clinics. While I will always defend our First Amendment rights, free speech does not extend to screaming through windows and disrupting patients’ exams.

That’s why I joined a coalition of Attorneys General to oppose the Trump Administration’s roll back of the ACA contraception requirement, which will directly lead to increased healthcare costs for women, higher spending by Medicaid and state governments, and create more unplanned pregnancies.

And that’s why as Governor, I will continue to fight for a health system that makes affordable and high-quality care available to everyone, including access to contraception and reproductive health services.

Keeping Maine Safe from Gun Violence
Far too many times I’ve held the hands of those who’ve lost a loved one to senseless violence or reckless use of firearms, including suicide. I have tried homicide cases and prosecuted people for firearms violations. As Attorney General I’ve made it a priority to keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers – still the most prevalent form of gun violence in our state. I know firsthand that we are not doing enough to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.

Maine has an opportunity to lead this conversation. We are a state full of people who hunt, who shoot for recreation and for sport, and who value our constitutional rights. But we also know that to eliminate the threat of gun violence in our community, we need to bring people together to achieve real, lasting change.

We can start with commonsense regulations on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, like the weapons used to cause mass casualties in Parkland, Las Vegas and Orlando. In the past, such laws have been ineffective because they lacked careful definitions, which allowed gun manufacturers to find loopholes by making slight cosmetic changes; we must avoid a repeat of those mistakes. We should also prohibit devices designed to turn semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic machine guns, including bump stocks. And we should consider carefully crafted “red flag” laws, to keep firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals who have temporary restraining orders against them.

This subject matter is not for the faint of heart. It will require an experienced leader that can bring law enforcement officials, sportswomen and sportsmen, reformers, and community leaders to the table to chart a collective path. As Governor, I will be committed to that task, and to bringing the people of our state together to keep Maine safe for generations to come.

Protecting our Clean Air and Water
When I was a child, you could practically walk across the Androscoggin river, the foam and toxic ooze covering the surface were so thick. Thanks to the Clean Water Act, drafted and pushed through by Maine Senator Ed Muskie 45 years ago this Tuesday, the Androscoggin and thousands of other rivers across our state are cleaner than they’ve been in a generation. While there’s still work to be done, the Clean Water Act has been a stunning success for Maine.

Sadly, the Trump administration and Scott Pruitt’s EPA seem committed to reversing these decades of progress. To take just one example: airborne mercury remains one of the primary contributors to water pollution in Maine, but Pruitt is seeking to overturn or relax regulations on mercury emissions, potentially making the problem far worse. That’s why I’ve joined other Attorneys General to sue the EPA and demand they enforce their own regulations, and why as Governor, I’ll continue to do everything in my power to keep our air and water clean.

Protecting the Free and Open Internet
The modern Internet was founded on the principles of open access, freedom, and fairness, and the way it has transformed the world is largely a result of that ethos. It’s no secret why a few giant corporations want that to change; imagine a world in which you can’t Skype your family because your Internet Service Provider would prefer you use your mobile video minutes, or where your ISP decides which news sites they’ll allow you to read, or where you can’t use Netflix because your ISP wants you to keep your cable TV package.

I’m proud that my office is working with Democratic Attorneys General across the country in a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to stop the repeal of net neutrality.

Not only is the attempted rollback of net neutrality a transparent giveaway to a few huge corporations, at the expense of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and millions of American consumers, but the vote also follows a public comment period in which nearly two million comments used stolen identities to post pro-repeal opinions.

As Attorney General, I have always stood against attempts by large corporations and special interests to hijack our democracy to serve their bottom lines. That’s why I’ll do everything in my power to block the Trump Administration’s attempts to repeal net neutrality, and as Governor, will continue to oppose this unprecedented threat to the free exchange of ideas online. ^[36]

Hemp Mills Instead of Closed Down Paper Mills!
​This is of critical importance because as of 2013 there are only 12 mills that remain open. There has been a 66% employment decline since 1990. Due to digitalization, foreign competition, and consolidation paper mills have closed. An inability to adapt to changes in consumer trends is the reason for the closures, what is the solution? Industrial HEMP!

​We can not continue to sit idly by while generations of Maine mill workers and farmers drown in debt.

While our younger generations accept a life without hope and while our state's leadership sits by without a plan; Maine continues to allow opportunity to race past us.

Placing the blame on the poor is inexcusable and an outdated modality for governmental leadership.

​It is unreasonable to assume that a farmer can not earn a great living other than by farming hay.

​As well, it is unreasonable to suggest that the state of Maine remain land rich and tax poor.

Our inhabitants and their heirs doomed to a life of poverty and lowered expectations. Our young and bright leaving our families and our state when we need them most.

Free College Tuition
Free College Tuition with a Contract to Serve Maine by becoming involved for one year in a Coordinated Educational Development Program, C.E.P.D. ​

​Examples of CEPDs are:

Working in programs to develop: ​a greenhouse in every school, prison, jail, and community building.

Working in programs to develop: at least one form of a renewable energy source for every public building.

Working in programs to develop:

and protect Maine waterways by fostering leadership through in educational programs, and by the concerted development of Ancillary Business Ownership Opportunities throughout Maine.

Working in programs to develop:

Institute Race Against Racism with Multiculturalism, a program to develop language proficiencies based on interest and /academic class.

A Greenhouse and Solar Energy in Every Public Building.
​​The benefits are worth the investment. What are they?

Number one for the tax payer, there will be a recordable gain. Secondly, for sustainability, we will continue to foster the uniquely Maine perspective of blazing a new, more sustainable path. ​ For our people, both young and old; from the schools to the community center, to the state house, we will foster an improved attitude toward our food.

The overall health of our community will improve. Indeed, the health of a community is developed by the creation of community gardens.

We need to make Maine one of the World's Blue Zones!

Renewable energy is the answer. The creation of viable tax incentives and economic pathways is urgently needed. Encouraging the use of alternate energy forms like: solar, wind, water, and biofuels make our lifestyles more sustainable. ^[36]

Health Care
Health Care is a Right. I Support universal coverage—Medicare for all or a New England compact for single payer as we move toward federal coverage. This is my #1 priority; here are some doable solutions:

Fund the Expansion of Medicaid Immediately

Support Universal In-Home Care which will dramatically increase the quality of life of those in need of care, and of the (mostly women) caregivers.

Cut costs by promoting healthy living: sleep, exercise, nutritious food, three free prescriptions!

Increase support to our Community Based Mental Health system to provide the most effective treatment and to avoid ineffective and expensive hospital and incarceration costs.

Support alternative therapies for stress reduction, pain management and addiction such as acupuncture, massage, Reiki.

The Economy
Buy local, Buy Maine. State government must favor Maine small businesses in purchasing and promoting our business products to the state, country and world. Then state and university cafeterias will serve Maine food. We will support our local farmers with capital investment, joint processing facilities and coordinated marketing in and out of state.

Grow our Economy from the Bottom Up. Create Regional Development Authorities that will develop plans and do the financing on a regional level. State government will decentralize decision-making and resources for entrepreneur help, business assistance, tourism, Main Street development, and innovative business ideas.

Expand high-speed broadband. State government must use its financial resources and its regulatory authority to bring that high-speed broadband to every household in Maine.

Legalize and promote industrial hemp, an industrial business with potential for retooling vacant mills to be productive again.

Go green. Build green. Reduce, re-use, recycle. Make Maine a leader in green economics, increase tourism based on our policies.

Incentivize Corporate/Business policies consistent with Maine values. Use business tax structure as a way to incentivize behaviors, investments and worker treatment that is consistent with Maine values.

Working People
Support a $15 Minimum Wage. No full-time worker in Maine should not be able to provide for their family.

Support the unions’ right to thrive. Unions are an important safeguard for workers. As Governor, I will re-open the negotiations between workers and state government and not make employees have to choose between a strong union and a well-deserved raise. I also support responsible contracting for all state funds.

Fair taxation, share the burden. In the last 8 years, the incomes of well-off Mainers grew at a rate 3 times that of low-income Mainers, and yet, low-income Mainers pay a higher proportion of their earnings for state and local taxes than does the top 20%. We will level the playing field.

Civil Rights/Women's Rights
Protect a woman’s right to choose and reproductive health services.

Support Paid Family Medical Leave and Earned Sick Leave.

Support Equal Pay for Equal Work for women and minorities.

Establish a Commission on Racial Justice and Equality to lead state government in analyzing policies, practices and procedures that result in income, health care, aspirational disparities. then institute the changes necessary for correction.

Support the Civil Rights Team Project in our schools by providing students with the skills and leadership to take on the issues of fairness, respect, bullying and harassment in their day-to-day lives.

Immigrants
Welcome Immigrants. State funding for communities to pay for transition costs of new Mainers—housing, English as a second language, social services—for a fixed period of time (5 years) until new residents have the ability to support themselves with new businesses and jobs.

Environment, Energy, Climate Change
Sign on to the United States Climate Alliance — I will add Maine to the 15 other states who have signed onto an alliance to achieve Paris Agreement climate goals by 2025.

No state money or approvals for more fossil fuel use. No more pipelines, refineries, LNG facilities. Invest in solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and tidal sources so that Maine is energy independent by 2030.

Create a statewide trails network. Maine is sprouting up local trails across the state. I will direct the Maine Department of Transportation to support local trails and develop connections between trails so that people can hike, run, and bike safely from Kittery to Madawaska.

Support mass transit. Maine pays $4 per capita for mass transit; the national average is $45. Support systems of public transportation.

Bolster the Land for Maine’s Future Program. A political football under LePage, it’s time to let them do what they do well.

Promote electric cars by ensuring charging stations available throughout state; convert state government fleet over time to electric cars; consider rebates for electric car purchases.

Make state government a model green organization using renewable energy, green cars, walkable state campuses, and best sustainable practices.

Education
Give kids a chance at affordable higher education. Provide two years of free tuition to young Mainers in exchange for a year of public service. This will teach young people the virtues of giving back, community engagement, and help them address the escalating costs of education.

Bring Back programs for technical and skills-based education.

Pay teachers better. We are losing skilled teachers to retirement and few are entering the field because of low pay and unfair retirement benefits.

Cut back on standardized tests. Educate for collaboration, innovation, group work and civic responsibility. Our education system was born in the 1920’s and has become about numbers and standardized tests. Instead, let's emphasize teaching strategies that enhance today’s communities and economy.

Make pre-k available to every 3 and 4-year old in Maine, where the most difference can be made in education, as well as affordable day care and developmental services. Let’s invest our money where we know it will work.

Opioids
Treat opioid addiction as a health issue not a criminal issue, and treat it accordingly.

Move addicts from prison to community-based treatment. Over 65% of prison inmates have addiction and behavioral health problems, and only 11% receive treatment in jail. It costs over $50,000/year to house a prisoner in Maine; let's spend that money on treatment services that benefit both the recovering addicts, their families and communities.

Expand Medicaid to cover 80,000 new people. This is the single biggest, fastest, and most effective step we can take to expand substance abuse treatment in Maine.

Incentivize treatment for the whole person, not just the addiction. We need to look at the life circumstances and the emotional pain that feeds the addiction at its core and provide the services necessary to address those issues. ^[36]