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| Former State Representative Jane Pringle, a Democrat, left, is vying for the Maine House District 107 seat against Republican newcomer Michael Hall. SUBMITTED PHOTOS |
ELECTION 2022 CANDIDATE Q&A
(Unedited for grammar and spelling and exactly as answered and submitted by each candidate.)
Michael Hall
Maine House District 107, Republican Occupation: Project Manager/Supervisor of biotechnology company; Co-owner of Maine Lash Girl, LLC
Previous Elected Experience: None
Why are you running for this position and please be specific.
What's the very first bill you will introduce if you are elected to serve in the Maine Legislature?
"I would introduce a tax reduction bill. This tax reduction would allow people to keep more money, thus helping to fight inflation."
Please share your thoughts about the parent's rights movement in Maine education.
"Any parent requesting information from a school board, or anyone involved in their child's education, should be provided information without any question. Parents want the schools to have transparency. Teachers and school boards should welcome input from parents, and parental notification of certain things should be a regular part of the process. Parents' rights are not a 'movement' but an expectation."
What three things have you accomplished to benefit this community in the past three years?
"I volunteer with and support veterans most weeks. I work with a recovery group to understand the issues and how they affect the community."
Would you support legislation to require dairies to test milk for PFAS contaminants before it is sold to Maine consumers and if so, why is this important to the residents of Windham?
"I would not support legislation at this time. We need additional scientific information before we add any mandate or regulation. However, I would recommend that we continually review the studies of PFAS. The studies are ongoing, and we can revisit the subject if we find conclusive evidence."
What do you think you will do better or differently than the candidate running against you if elected?
"I will support Maine Business and work to make the state more accessible for starting a new business. During her last tenure in the House, she was rated poorly by the Maine Economic Research Institute (24%) and the National Federation of Independent Business - Maine (0%)."
What are the greatest economic, cultural, and social strengths of this community in your opinion, and how will you support those strengths if elected?
I believe one of the greatest economic strengths of Windham is the Route 302 corridor. Route 302 allows Windham to be near the larger economic centers of Maine, Westbrook, and Portland while also being an ideal path for tourists traveling to the lakes. I will support any infrastructure needs on the State level to increase the attractiveness of large and small businesses. The cultural and social strengths of Windham are its people. We have the type of community like a small town; everyone feels like a neighbor. I will support legislation allowing people to keep their money and be able to stay in the state and town."
If elected, which legislative committees would you like to serve on?
"I would like to serve on Taxation, Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services, Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business."
What specific ideas and proposals do you have to alleviate Maine's housing crisis?
"I would look at the supply and demand breaks and analyze how best to adjust them. I believe that government programs have broken the supply side by providing generous housing assistance. For example, In Portland, due to this assistance, I believe landlords took advantage of these subsidies to increase their rents, knowing that the state would guarantee that the rents are at the maximum. This artificial increase in rent worsens the housing problem. Now, more people cannot afford rent and either ask for assistance or move out of the area, which lowers the supply in other places."
Jane Pringle
Maine House District 107, Democrat
Occupation: Retired Primary Care Physician and Physician Educator
Previous Elected Experience: State Representative, Windham 2012 to 2014
Why are you running for this position and please be specific.
Occupation: Retired Primary Care Physician and Physician Educator
Previous Elected Experience: State Representative, Windham 2012 to 2014
Why are you running for this position and please be specific.
"I see government as us working together to solve problems that are hard to solve by ourselves, and which we can solve better by working together. Right now we’re facing a lot of challenges in Maine that we can’t solve unless we work together. From the housing crisis, to women’s rights, to Washington-style politics coming to Maine, there’s a lot to tackle. Watching from the sidelines of retirement I’ve grown more and more concerned about the world my grandchildren are inheriting. I realized that if I want something to change, I have a responsibility to make it change, so I decided it was time to run again."
What’s the very first bill you will introduce if you are elected to serve in the Maine Legislature?
"I will introduce a bill that will provide universal health insurance for everyone in Maine."
Please share your thoughts about the parent’s rights movement in Maine education.
"At our dinner table each night my parents regularly asked me and my brothers what we had learned in school that day. My dad often asked questions to better understand what we had learned. He would also ask questions to help us see what we had learned from a different point of view. Parents are important teachers of their children, but most of us need help educating our children–I know my husband and I did! A comprehensive public education that prepares students to succeed not just in work, but also as a member of our democracy, is something that every community member benefits from. Though public schools aren’t the right fit for every child or family, Windham has excellent schools, strengthened by parent involvement in the School Board, and the Parent Teacher Association. That Community-Parent-School partnership has led to Windham having some of the best schools in the state (recently ranked in the top twenty of Maine’s 117 school districts)."
What three things have you accomplished to benefit this community in the past three years?
"My husband Jim and I contribute to our church, which supports our community in multiple ways; are members of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, which maintains many trails for the community to enjoy; and support Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors to provide heating assistance to Windham families in need."
Would you support legislation to require dairies to test milk for PFAS contaminants before it is sold to Maine consumers and if so, why is this important to the residents of Windham?
"Yes. We are learning that PFAS can cause harm if present at certain levels and that they are widely present. When PFAS are found elevated we need to provide support to our local farmers to help remediate the problem."
What do you think you will do better or differently than the candidate running against you if elected?
"As a physician, I spent my career helping people find solutions to difficult issues, and helping them to find hope and calm in the face of challenges. As a physician educator, I had to support others in developing skills and practices that would consistently lead to positive outcomes. As a legislator, I worked collaboratively with members of all parties to deliver real results to my neighbors. As a returning legislator, I will help our town and our state find solutions to the difficult issues we’re all facing, support legislation that will lead to positive outcomes for all of us, and deliver real results for our town."
What are the greatest economic, cultural, and social strengths of this community in your opinion, and how will you support those strengths if elected?
"Windham is a regional leader in business, conservation, and providing a work-life balance that long-term residents love and new residents are drawn to. Our town’s ability to balance the need for industry, small business, farming, housing, and play, is unique. The ways our community comes together to help each other (our amazing food pantry, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and so many more) demonstrate our ingenuity and resolve to make sure our community is healthy. If elected I would work with our community leaders to support their work, and ensure that the work done in Augusta reflects the values of Windham voters and supports our community."
If elected, which legislative committees would you like to serve on?
"Health Coverage, Insurance & Financial Services or Health and Human Services."
What specific ideas and proposals do you have to alleviate Maine’s housing crisis?
"When someone working full time is unable to find housing and is homeless, something is wrong. The high cost of housing, and stagnant wages have left many young, working, and elderly people in precarious situations. To solve the housing crisis, we have to start with jobs that pay a livable wage, increase the amount of housing that’s available, and ensure that Maine families, not big investors, are able to buy the homes they need. Solving our housing problems will require collaboration of private and public (town, state and federal) entities. I will seek the input of others and look to examples of approaches that have worked elsewhere."
"At our dinner table each night my parents regularly asked me and my brothers what we had learned in school that day. My dad often asked questions to better understand what we had learned. He would also ask questions to help us see what we had learned from a different point of view. Parents are important teachers of their children, but most of us need help educating our children–I know my husband and I did! A comprehensive public education that prepares students to succeed not just in work, but also as a member of our democracy, is something that every community member benefits from. Though public schools aren’t the right fit for every child or family, Windham has excellent schools, strengthened by parent involvement in the School Board, and the Parent Teacher Association. That Community-Parent-School partnership has led to Windham having some of the best schools in the state (recently ranked in the top twenty of Maine’s 117 school districts)."
What three things have you accomplished to benefit this community in the past three years?
"My husband Jim and I contribute to our church, which supports our community in multiple ways; are members of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, which maintains many trails for the community to enjoy; and support Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors to provide heating assistance to Windham families in need."
Would you support legislation to require dairies to test milk for PFAS contaminants before it is sold to Maine consumers and if so, why is this important to the residents of Windham?
"Yes. We are learning that PFAS can cause harm if present at certain levels and that they are widely present. When PFAS are found elevated we need to provide support to our local farmers to help remediate the problem."
What do you think you will do better or differently than the candidate running against you if elected?
"As a physician, I spent my career helping people find solutions to difficult issues, and helping them to find hope and calm in the face of challenges. As a physician educator, I had to support others in developing skills and practices that would consistently lead to positive outcomes. As a legislator, I worked collaboratively with members of all parties to deliver real results to my neighbors. As a returning legislator, I will help our town and our state find solutions to the difficult issues we’re all facing, support legislation that will lead to positive outcomes for all of us, and deliver real results for our town."
What are the greatest economic, cultural, and social strengths of this community in your opinion, and how will you support those strengths if elected?
"Windham is a regional leader in business, conservation, and providing a work-life balance that long-term residents love and new residents are drawn to. Our town’s ability to balance the need for industry, small business, farming, housing, and play, is unique. The ways our community comes together to help each other (our amazing food pantry, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and so many more) demonstrate our ingenuity and resolve to make sure our community is healthy. If elected I would work with our community leaders to support their work, and ensure that the work done in Augusta reflects the values of Windham voters and supports our community."
If elected, which legislative committees would you like to serve on?
"Health Coverage, Insurance & Financial Services or Health and Human Services."
What specific ideas and proposals do you have to alleviate Maine’s housing crisis?
"When someone working full time is unable to find housing and is homeless, something is wrong. The high cost of housing, and stagnant wages have left many young, working, and elderly people in precarious situations. To solve the housing crisis, we have to start with jobs that pay a livable wage, increase the amount of housing that’s available, and ensure that Maine families, not big investors, are able to buy the homes they need. Solving our housing problems will require collaboration of private and public (town, state and federal) entities. I will seek the input of others and look to examples of approaches that have worked elsewhere."
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