Finance Type
Maine Clean Elections Candidate
It’s getting harder and harder for young, working families to live and work in Maine. We’re facing a childcare crisis in our country and Maine is certainly not immune. If young people can’t be sure that there are quality, affordable childcare programs for their kids, they’ll further delay starting a family or worse, leave the area. Right now, our schools are facing overwhelming challenges: student & teacher mental health, aging infrastructure, chronic absenteeism, and a dwindling teacher workforce. Our kids should feel safe and supported while they learn the skills they need to succeed after high school. We need to reward the dedication of educators and support staff with real, professional pay, benefits, and prestige.
As a history & government teacher, I’m constantly encouraging my students to engage politically. I advise our Model United Nations and YMCA Youth & Government programs - both simulations of policy making at the global and state level. Through these programs, I’ve seen students become fierce advocates for their interests and those of their community. I’ve seen these students go on to work in community organizations, policy institutions, and even testify at the State House. Promoting opportunities like these to young people is a sure way to get them involved for life - and doing so has been a focus of my professional career lately. As a lawmaker, I invite all kinds of input on legislation from constituents - not lobbyists and special interest
The current bottleneck for housing is supply - we need to promote subsidies and benefits for firms building and renovating safe, affordable housing in the most needed communities. We need to promote the construction of multifamily housing - duplexes, triplexes, etc. We need to work with local governments to help them craft zoning laws that can promote mixed-use buildings to be sure that we’re being effective and intentional with how we use space in our towns. Additionally, to help out prospective homebuyers, we need to broaden tax credits for first-time buyers to give families the best shot at generational wealth: homeownership.
I live in Pittsfield with my wife Kristyn and three kids: Alice, Isaac, and Sophia. I have been a history teacher at Maine Central Institute for 10 years now, where I advise Model UN, Youth & Government, and Tabletop Gaming clubs. Last year, I was named Maine History Teacher of the Year. While working at MCI, I also served on the Maine Council for the Social Studies, numerous MCI curriculum and diploma planning teams, and as a policy advocate for after school and summer learning programs. Recently, Kristyn and I opened an in-home childcare, Salt Breeze Learning, providing new opportunities for childcare workers and families seeking care.
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