Political News

 

Foster announces candidacy for Gray Council

To the citizens of Gray:

My name is Gary Foster, and as a candidate for Gray Town Council, I would appreciate your support on June 8.

I was raised Gray, attending GNG schools, currently work as a building and remodeling subcontractor for my brother's company, Geoff Foster Inc, and have a small seasonal business of rototilling and field mowing. Previously I spent 18 years at Wilsondale Farms in Gray, working on maintenance, crops, and numerous other tasks.

As did our country's founders, I believe in limiting the size and role of government. Recent municipal budgets reveal that Gray's government is growing at an unsustainable rate.

Local government is a means by which citizens may provide for themselves, as a community, those services essential for the community to exist and prosper. We should not allow our municipal government to continue this expansion beyond its legitimate purpose.

In light of the financial strain posed to some residents by recent increases, we should review budget appropriations, and determine which items are in fact essential, and reduce or eliminate those that may be unnecessary perks.

For example, since its purchase, the old Post Office building remains unused and is currently nothing more than an unnecessary expense. This suggests that we do not need it, and in the future should consider means of reducing workload before proposing staff increases.

The 04/05 budget proposal represents a 13.9% increase in appropriations over the current budget. If approved as is by the voters at Town Meeting, the municipal mil rate will decrease slightly this fiscal year due to the utilization of a portion of undesignated funds, but next year will reveal a substantial increase. I believe such increases are unnecessary and unacceptable, causing too great an impact on Gray's taxpayers.

If granted the privilege of serving on the Gray Town Council, I will encourage the wise and frugal utilization of tax revenues in order to maintain an efficient and practical means of governing our community.

Thank you,
Gary Foster

Goosetrey seeks third term
Gray John (Jack) Goosetrey Councilor announces candidacy

I am seeking re-election to Gray's Town Council because even though I feel I have worked for the betterment of this town and its citizens there is still more I want to accomplish.

First of all I am the only person on the present council who is a retired senior citizen and must live on a fixed income just as many of you. My wife and I know what the cost of needed medications, food and life's necessities are and therefore choose our spending carefully.

We have no children in the school system but can relate to those who do since we were once in your situation at our former location. I realize the importance of educating our youth but also realize this should be accomplished by having parents, educators and officials all work together. Remember that unless all three groups work together and children do their part, we can achieve this goal. No amount of money, teachers and town officials can do this without parents and children doing their part!

Secondly my desire is only to serve the town of Gray be helping to shape the pathway we must take for the good of all its citizens. I have no desire to move on to a higher level of service, either now or later.

Sometimes the path will be rocky and some people will say I/we can't! Why can't we stay the way we are? I say to you, nothing ever stays the same forever when living people are involved, so let's make sure we make the path as accessible for all as possible and help those who find the path too steep.
The ideal concept is to keep what in Gray is important to the most people yet join it with new ideas to create a town where old and young can live and work and still move forward with pride, progress and prosperity for all. Maybe then our children can return "home," earn a decent living, raise their children and enjoy - life the way it should be!

Qualifications: retired (formerly owned plumbing and heating wholesale house); veteran of WWII; member of the American Legion and VFW; member of Masonic Order - Shriners; served on the Community Economic Development Committee and the Planning Board.

Geoffrey Leighton Announces Candidacy for House District #105 (Durham and New Gloucester

Geoffrey Leighton is a thirteenth generation Mainer who has been long active in his community of Durham. He has served on Durham's Government Studies committee and currently serves on the Budget Committee and is the Chair of the Telecommunications committee. He has coached the Durham Middle School's Girls Varsity Basketball team as well as town softball and baseball teams and he served as a Big Brother in the Big Brother, Big Sister Organization. He has helped create the Durham River Park and currently oversees the Durham Town Newsletter, Website, and Public Access Television channel.

Leighton graduated from Syracuse University with a degree from the Newhouse School of Communications. As a small business owner Leighton belongs to the Androscoggin, Greater Portland, and Maine State Chambers of Commerce as well as serving on the board of Maine Film and Video Association. His business, a film, video and, multimedia communications company operates out of a studio in his house in Durham.

Mr. Leighton believes in the right of all people to have accessible and affordable healthcare. "As a small business owner I know first hand how important affordable health care is to my business and to my employees - I will work hard to support universal healthcare for all residents of Maine."
Leighton is also concerned about the environment. "Our natural environment is one of our most important assets here in Maine - preserving this environment for our future while making it accessible today is one of my top concerns. Not only does this preserve our quality of life - it also makes good business sense."

Finally, Leighton feels that tax reform, education, business development all must work together to insure Maine's future: "I believe that real tax reform is made up of two components - immediate tax relief for property owners and the growth of Maine's economy through a well educated work force and a government that supports and encourages business.

Dirigo endorsement for Bryant

The Dirigo Alliance has endorsed Mark Bryant (D-Windham) for State House District 110 (part of Gray and part of Windham). Bryant faces one opponent in the June 8th Democratic primary. The Dirigo Alliance is a statewide coalition of sixteen organizations representing nearly 100,000 voters.

George Christie, executive director of the Dirigo Alliance, said that Mark has proven himself as a community leader and has also led the way to improve health and reduce safety hazards in the workplace as an appointee to the State Emergency Response Commission.

When Mark is not working with displaced workers at a Peer Support Center, he serves as a council member for the Wellness and Employer Assistance Program and serves on Windham's Voter Registration Appeals Board. Mark has also been an active supporter and volunteer coach for local youth soccer, basketball, and baseball programs. He was a former chair in Windham for both the Committee on the Future of Volunteer Public Safety Services and the Human Services Committee, and he was a leader in the creation of the Women's Caucus of Windham.