Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

Democrats face off for District 64 seat

By Ethan Wilensky-Lanford ewlanford@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

Democratic primary voters in West Bath, Harpswell and Phippsburg will have a choice between a retired communications technician and a 27-year-old lobsterman to run for the seat held by outgoing Democratic Rep. Leila Percy.

David Chipman, who earned a name running against Sen. Art Mayo in 2002, said he learned the value of public service watching his father help neighbors as a volunteer fire chief in Harpswell in the 1950s and '60s.

Chipman served one term as selectman in the town. His top priority in Augusta, he said, would be to fight hard to make sure his constituents' views were heard.

"My agenda goes on the back burner," he said. "Certainly I have my own thoughts and my own feelings, but the thoughts and the concerns of the constituency is what is important."

Chipman, who was also on the School Administrative District 75 school board twice, would like to see the state meet its 55 percent education funding requirement.

"When a commitment is made, it should be kept," he said. "By taking cuts at the state level, we're placing a huge burden on the local level and we have to remember that."

Envisioning a healthier revenue stream if the citizen's initiative fails to overturn the tax reform package lawmakers passed last year, Chipman said he would support building up the state's rainy-day fund.

He advocates strengthening communications and transportation infrastructure. He said he has been active working to restore rail service along the coast and is excited about the prospect of a future with more trains and ferries.

As a former telephone and communications technician, Chipman believes that faster Internet is also important.

"High-speed communications is absolutely imperative in this day and age," he said. "People work from their homes on the Internet. We need to extend that capability to the northern part of the state."

He said the state should continue to work to bring businesses to the state with tax incentives such as tax-increment financing.

Chipman said he did not expect to quickly solve all of the state's problems by himself.

"Anybody who thinks that they are going to go in there are make huge changes needs to be taken aside and explained to how things really work," he said. "It's a slow and arduous process that requires a lot of consensus building. That's what I'm really good at."

His opponent in the primary, Lawrence Pye, 27, said the best investment Maine can make in its future is in education.

"(From) everything I heard, it's going to be a slow recovery," he said. "Everybody's gung ho about wind power. If that's the future, I think we need to focus on education and making sure that we have the work force there."

He said he would like the state to invest more in community colleges, and also meet its commitment to pay 55 percent of the cost of K-12 education.

"I would rather the state meet its obligation than force it down onto your local municipalities and school districts," he said. "It's a hidden, indirect tax increase when you make those property taxes go up."

Pye said lawmakers should explore a temporary 1 percent state sales tax increase to fund education, rather than increasing making cuts and forcing communities to raise property taxes.

He said it was important for lawmakers to be careful prioritizing where the state should make budget cuts.

"You can cut and cut in infrastructure," he said. "But your roads and bridges are going to need maintenance. You are just putting off that expenditure."

As the municipal level, he said, Phippsburg tried to pay for a major project every year.

"I certainly don't rule out that you can find out efficiencies where you can make cuts," he said. "You have to be very careful about it. You have to weigh your long-term needs versus short-term wants."

He said he would bring much-needed diversity to the Legislature as a young fisherman, and said that he appreciated the role public financing could play in allowing somebody with his financial means to run for state office.

"It's important for the younger generations to be involved in the state," he said. "If we can solve an issue today, it is something that we won't have to put off for another day."

The winner of the June 8 primary will face Republican David Moser in the general election.

Ethan Wilensky-Lanford -- 620-7016

ewlanford@mainetoday.com