Political News

Clayton W. Haskell Announces Democratic Candidacy For House District # 110

Clayton W. Haskell of Windham has announced his candidacy for the Maine House of Representatives in District # 110, which includes the northern and eastern parts of Windham and a section of west Gray.
Left, Haskell

Mr. Haskell has lived in Windham all his life. Mr. Haskell is the owner of Pleasant River Farm & Feed where he raises Pinzgauer beef cattle. He also distributes and sells feed products for P. A. Lessard Feed. He is active in the Maine Farm Bureau, currently president of the Cumberland County Farm Bureau and a past State Director of the Maine Farm Bureau.

He is president of the American Pinzgauer Association and a member of the board of directors. He as served on the Windham Planning Board as a member and past chairman, and the Windham Comprehensive Plan committee. He is currently on the CDBG Advisory Committee. Mr. Haskell has been a 4-H Leader for 32 years. He has served on the State 4-H Animal Science committee, is a past president of the Cumberland County 4-H Leaders Association and served on the Cooperative Extension Service Executive Board.

Mr. Haskell wants to focus his energy in Augusta on property tax relief, to have a common sense approach to spending, small business, and agriculture.

Mr. Haskell has a wife, Kathryn and a daughter Harriet.

Swander announces candidacy for District #110
By Don Swander

From the moment I announced as a candidate for the Maine House of Representatives, the most frequent question asked of me has been -- "Don, why are you running for state office?" Right, Swander

One reason is because I am the father of seven children and I understand first-hand how financially hard it is to raise a family in today's economy. My wife Camille and I have been fortunate to have steady jobs these last 30 years. During the first ten years there were apprehensive times but since then we have felt reasonably secure. We have a modest 4 bedroom home on Pettingill Pond in Windham and we drive nice cars -- not new, but nice. We don't go on expensive cruises or vacations but we do make a lot of road trips to visit relatives in New York and Pennsylvania.

Raising seven children has taught me skills which should help me in the House of Representatives, like how to set a budget and actually live within that budget, the need to apply spending restraints, the importance of having good health care, and, most importantly, it has taught me how to get along with each other in the House - a useful skill in Augusta.

The greatest sources of financial hardship have come from our income increases not keeping up with the increased cost of goods, services, and taxes. The rising cost of our health insurance, the rising taxes on necessity items like heating oil and gasoline, a steady increase in income tax, and a significant increase in property tax has played havoc with our budget. The cost of sending our children to college has increased also. Even though we have always had two incomes in the family, we just seem to make it each year. Camille and I often talk with great respect for the people we know who only have one income and we can only imagine the financial stresses they must experience.

I am running for state office because I want to try to help fix what is wrong with state government. Government spending in Maine has been growing at a rate more than twice the rate of inflation - it is and has been out of control for way too long. I agree with the Republican tax plan and I would favor a constitutional amendment that would limit government spending at all levels of government in Maine to the growth in population plus inflation.

I would also support immediate income tax relief to 40% of Maine's most needy families by eliminating income tax for families making less than $28,000 per year. Also, property tax relief needs to be swift and just. The value of a property needs to be established by looking at the most recent sale price and then applying an increase at the rate of the Consumer Price Index. The property tax formula needs to be fair, stable, and predictable.
The other immediate need is cost of college.

Every eligible student in Maine who wants to go to college should be able to do so. Today's parents should have immediate access to tax credits, tax deferments, and tax free investments which will encourage and allow more parents and young people to set money aside to pay for college. The Blaine House Scholarships program for students who want to become teachers is also working well to encourage those students to return to Maine to teach. If they teach in Maine for three years, the entire four year scholarship is forgiven.

This program needs to be expanded to include the other "helping" professions -- we need to find ways to help our students afford college and return to Maine for jobs. After all, they will be our future leaders who will be passing laws to help take care of us in our old age and we want them to be very good at what they do -- our life will depend on it.

Wink throws hat in ring
My name is Ralph Wink and I am asking for your support in my Candidacy for the Gray Water District Board. I have lived in Gray since 1976 and served the community on various boards and projects from Boy Scouts to most recently, CEDC.

I have worked for nearly 30 years for the Portland Pipe Line Corporation and my work experience and education are aligned with the work done by the Gray Water District. My recent retirement and the opening on the Gray Water District Board led me to run for the Water District seat.

My objective is to use my engineering education and management experience to effectively assist the Water District to improve its service to the community. If elected, I can only promise to be available to the citizens of Gray regarding the Water District matters and to work with the staff in their quest to provide a quality product in a fair and efficient manner.
I ask for your support and promise in return to be an advocate for the citizenry of Gray.

Thank you.

Ralph Wink, 657-3452