The national campaign stage has been a contentious arena this election season. In contrast, not a single insult or personal criticism was lobbed between four local candidates during their debate in Boothbay Oct. 3.  

Cameron Reny (D, incumbent) and Dale Harmon (R), vying for Maine Senate District 13, as well as Holly Stover (D, incumbent) and Bill Hunt (R), competing for Maine House District 48, were in the discussion moderated by Boothbay Register Editor Kevin Burnham.  

“We've had civilized conversation. We can agree to disagree. And it's something that I so much appreciate about our culture here ...,” said Hunt in his closing statement, as murmurs of agreement bubbled up throughout the nearly 100 audience members.

Although candidates were asked about specific issues and their vision, the cost of living permeated throughout the evening. From paying bills and taxes, to the price of groceries, to providing good jobs, the daily financial struggles of residents and businesses were central to almost every answer. “It is a lot of economic concerns that boil down into concerns for families being able to make it and being able to stay here in their home,” Reny said.  

Housing 

Between low inventory and rising property taxes, the cost of housing was a top issue.  

“I want to make it so young people can survive in this town and in this state,” said Harmon. He said there used to be rundown houses people could buy and maybe flip. Now, he said because of low inventory his two children can't afford to live in the area.  

“I am personally tired of seeing people that I have grown up with having to move out of district because they cannot find a place to live here,” said Reny, who grew up in Bristol.  

Reny said she wants to incentivize building more housing. She discussed a program to create smaller affordable housing in rural areas, which she defined as costing 30% of income. She also said she was invested in protecting mobile homes and manufacturing housing, what she called “some of the last naturally occurring affordable housing.” 

Stover talked about action she was part of that, according to her, appropriated $76 million towards affordable housing, rental housing subsidies, mobile home stabilization and emergency shelters. She said new homes need to be built despite the increasing costs, suggesting that multiuse homes, townhouses and condos could be a better solution. “Whatever we create in housing, it has to be sustainable, it has to be efficient, and it has to be affordable, and we need it yesterday,” she said.  

Harmon and Hunt argued for a lighter hand from the state. Harmon said he would like to see less regulation. One way would be allowing people to heat any way they can. Hunt said that was a good example of allowing homeowners to make decisions that make sense for their property.  

“We need to make (the state) get out of the way,” Hunt said, a sentiment he repeated often. He added that LD 2003 is an example of where the state solution doesn’t work for towns like Southport and Boothbay Harbor, which have hired consultants to help adhere to the law. At another point, he argued regulation was harmful to Maine’s businesses and workers. 

“Overregulation has made this state unfriendly to business,” Hunt said. “It's made it so that it's very hard for us to hire. It's very hard to create a business here. I have built businesses in this state. I have moved business out of this state because of the regulations that I faced.”      

Education 

Each candidate expressed a desire to improve Maine’s education, tying its success to the future of the state and its workforce.  

“It is going to cost money (but) if we want to prioritize the future of our communities and the future of our children, we have to provide public education,” Stover said. She said she was involved in legislation to raise general purpose aid for public schools to 55% and decrease the burden on municipalities.  

Harmon said education is a priority, teachers should be paid better and he agreed to keeping the 55% aid. He added he would like to see more accountability for administrators and parental control. “Giving parents back the rights in those schools and making sure parents have insight and say of what's being taught in those schools, I think, is critically important.” 

Reny said Maine is a home rule state where parents are not left out. “There is so much opportunity for people to be involved with their public schools,” she said, adding educators are receptive to how a parent wants their children taught because “parents ultimately do already have control over their children and how they are educated.” 

Hunt was more critical of Maine’s education system, which he said was failing. He proposed a citizenship test and teaching civics, home economics and skills such as how to balance a checkbook.  

He also proposed a state-funded program that would provide financial support for kids with jobs, which he said would replace a program that works with community colleges. He said the fund could match wages and be applied towards student’s education after graduation, whatever path they choose. He said the program could be extended if students continue to work in Maine.  

Harmon, not commenting on Hunt’s proposed program, later said he agreed the state needs more tradespeople and educational programs to support them. “I would love nothing more for them to encourage those that want to work with their hands and learn visually more so than reading to have a place to go,” he said.  

Healthcare 

Hunt solely blamed the closure of St. Andrews Hospital in 2013 on government “overregulation“ and said "we've been trying this kind of thing for a long time. It does not work. We've got to get off the backs of the hospitals.” 

Harmon said healthcare is especially rough for rural areas. He added healthcare locations, especially mental health services, need to be created to better serve the state.  

Agreeing with Harmon, Stover said mental health services in Maine and other states are poor. She said after St. Andrews’ closure, healthcare challenges, including reimbursements, workforce, insurance and cost remain.  

“We are run by insurance companies. You can believe that or not,” she said. “It should not cost what it costs for a person to have an inhaler. We've controlled insulin to a certain extent. But until we get our arms around these things and healthcare costs, we will struggle not only as a small rural hospital but as a state.” 

Reny said she has put effort to curb insurance and prescription drug costs, which she said can be “downright predatory.” One example was a bill requiring that “if you get a referral for mental health services or physical therapy services from an emergency department, the insurance now has to cover those services,” Reny said. Another, she said, ties Medicare prices to commercial prices “so that everyone can benefit not just those on Medicare.” 

For a full recording of the debate, please view the Register’s candidate forum partner Lincoln County News' Facebook page: https://fb.watch/u-LNlWLBjN/