I want to make sure that Mainers have access to programs to help them heat their homes efficiently and affordably. Inflation is affecting all of us, and it’s getting much harder to stretch our dollars. Low and middle income families are struggling the most. I will work to expand access to heating assistance programs so more Mainers are able to get the help they need. I will advocate to make heat pumps more affordable by expanding rebate offers, and support programs that help Mainers weatherize their homes.

Maine has made incredible progress over the past few years in expanding health care and reproductive health access. I am proud of the protections that our state has in place regarding access to safe abortions. I currently sit on the statewide Reproductive Health Policy Coalition with a number of organizations and activists, these priorities are important to me. I would champion a policy that would codify abortion rights in Maine law, in order to protect this access for future generations.

Renting costs have increased beyond affordability for so many Mainers, our rental housing market is among the least affordable in the nation. When over half of Maine’s low-income earners are paying more than half of their income for rent, we have a problem that requires immediate attention from our leaders in Augusta. I will pursue a comprehensive set of solutions to address this issue, and work with expert housing advocates to do so. I will fight against predatory housing practices, work to expand rental assistance programs, and find ways to make home owning easier for first-time homebuyers.

I have seen firsthand the devastating impacts of the opioid epidemic here in Bangor and the rippling heartbreak it has brought to Mainers and their families. I have spent part of my career as a public health advocate with a local agency and have volunteered for years with a harm reduction organization. I support the distribution of Narcan to community members to help save lives. I will work to better fund and expand recovery homes and programs to better meet needs and eliminate long waitlists.

As your representative, I will seek proposals that will aim to do more than just improve conditions. We must seek housing-first solutions for Maine families in ways that meet the unique needs of our community.

We need to remember that the homeless population are our neighbors too, they deserve dignity and respect. Our district is the home of all of the city’s major homeless shelters, warming centers, and day programs. I will work to ensure that these community members and their needs are properly represented in the State House.

I will work to pass laws that will fund the expansion of safe low-income housing, increase access to much needed housing vouchers, and better support our general assistance programs.

The impacts of climate change are devastating and most directly impact those who are in low-income communities.

We need our elected officials to admit that climate change is real, and follow science based solutions in order to address it.