York-Ogunquit Election News
Bowman, Lemont seeking to serve District 1 in the Maine Senate
By C. Ayn Douglass
KITTERY - Democrat Peter Bowman and Republican Ken Lemont, two local residents with close ties to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, are seeking election to the Maine District 1 Senate seat.
Peter Bowman
If elected, he would like to serve on the Education and Appropriations Committees.
"Education is a subject I care about passionately," he said. "Additionally, education/training is one of the prerequisites for a robust economy. … My corporate and non-profit experience tells me that being on a financially-focused committee not only gives you great knowledge of what is going on through the whole organization, but it also gives you an increased degree of control or voice in how much and where the money is spent," he said. "I believe that education and appropriations would allow me to use the full range of my educational and experiential skills."
Bowman supports a collaborative approach to address educational funding issues.
"Many of the recommendations of the recently issued State Board of Education chartered Select Panel Report on Revisioning Education in Maine are intriguing because the report claims that certain reforms, such as reducing the number of school administrative units, will free up funding to improve education by diverting funding currently used for administration to the classroom," he said. "… There is evidence that education in Maine can be improved, in part, by taking a number of actions that do not require significant additional funding."
Bowman is willing to work with Ogunquit to address the ongoing financial woes of its agreement in the Wells-Ogunquit School District.
"Ogunquit's tax burden for education is intolerable," Bowman said. "Ogunquit pays more than 10 times the average dollars per pupil to educate its children in the Wells school system. I am told that the legislature holds the key to dissolving the possibly well-intentioned, back then, but highly flawed, especially now, agreement ... If and when I'm elected, I would eagerly sponsor/support legislation to resolve this issue promptly."
Bowman said he values the preservation of open space, but his top priorities are education and the economy.
"If they are not robust, we are really in trouble and open space becomes just a dream," he said.
Bowman supports improving Maine's economy to stem the tide of residents leaving the state after graduating from college while also protecting what is good about Maine.
"The Brookings Institution report 'Charting Maine's Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity and Quality Places' is an excellent start," he said. "Without economic development/prosperity, for which an appropriately educated and trained workforce is a necessary prerequisite, much of what we hold dear about Maine is at significant risk. This will require restructuring and reducing taxes in Maine. If done skillfully, increased economic activity could actually lead to increased revenues for the state despite lower taxes. Further, we must take these actions to improve Maine's economy without destroying that which makes Maine so unique - a tall order, indeed!"
Bowman cited such Brookings Institution recommendations as business innovation and research and business-led partnerships that create jobs.
Bowman opposes the proposed Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).
"TABOR needs to be rejected. At best, it's thoughtless tax reform and not thoughtful tax reform," he said, adding, "If TABOR were to pass, it should be implemented carefully, thoughtfully and with rigorous analysis in order to minimize potential negative impacts on services and systems. Among other things, state and local governments must analyze and prioritize their budget line items with particular attention paid to safety, essential services (and) education."
Bowman said he would encourage municipal governments to consider the adoption of the York model of budgeting, which he said "involves arguably the largest percentage participation of any municipality in the state."
Looking to the election at hand, Bowman said he differs from his opponent in his strong opposition to TABOR as well as his life experience.
"I offer a greater range and depth of leadership experience in the public, private and not-for profit sectors; a broader range and depth of education, especially that related to science and technology; a fresh, new independent, unfettered, unbiased approach to the way state government should be; greater experience in team and community building and a more comprehensive appreciation of special-needs persons as I have a significantly learning-disabled daughter," Bowman said.
Bowman spent 30 years in the Navy, including three years as commander of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and served as a commissioner on the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). He has served on the Maine Regulatory Fairness Board, Kittery School Committee, Kittery Oversight Committee, Portsmouth Peace Treaty Anniversary Committee and as a trustee for both The Music Hall in Portsmouth and LIFE, Inc., a supportive community for the learning disabled.
Ken Lemont
If elected, he would like to serve on the Taxation and Marine Resources Committees, where he served in past terms as a legislator.
"Both, I feel, directly relate to the concerns of my constituents," Lemont said.
In terms of the state of education in Maine, Lemont said he is an ardent supporter of laws in support of educational opportunities and jobs for Maine youth as they graduate.
"Maine has no brighter future than its children and I am in support of any legislation that will ensure that our children will have the opportunity to live and work right here in Maine," he said. "I believe that fostering statewide research and development programs will help bring new jobs to our state and keep Maine's youth in Maine."
Like Bowman, Lemont believes that education ties in to economic development.
"There were only two states last year that had no economic growth in the entire country - and Maine didn't suffer a hurricane," he said.
Lemont pointed to the state's tax structure as one reason.
"We are one of the highest taxed states in the country and it is quite apparent that something needs to change," he said. "To stimulate the job climate, Maine needs to become more business-friendly, and one of the first steps in doing this is lowering property taxes."
Falling short of endorsing TABOR, Lemont said, "It is important to protect the towns and allow them to manage their own fiscal matters. TABOR isn't necessary if legislators are elected that realize there is a tax/spending problem in the state of Maine and choose to address it."
Lemont said his past experience in the Maine Legislature's Taxation Committee will serve him well on that issue.
While a member of the Taxation Committee, he said, "the committee as a whole lowered the sales tax 5 percent, repealed the snack and sick tax, created the earned income tax credit and lowered property taxes by enhancing the circuit breaker program and the homestead exemption."
Lemont also agreed that Ogunquit's tax burden for education through the Wells-Ogunquit School District places an unfair burden on the town. He said he is willing to sponsor legislation to allow Ogunquit to break away from the cooperative.
"I have worked on this issue in the past and it is long overdue for resolution," he said.
On protecting open space, Lemont described himself as an advocate, citing his service in the town of Kittery.
"I have a deep appreciation for the beauty of the great outdoors that southern York County has to offer," he said. "It is extremely important to me. I am a member of the Kittery Open Space Committee and the Kittery Land Trust."
In terms of what separates Lemont from his opponent, he described his strong familial ties to Kittery and southern York County.
"The most apparent, and important, difference between my opponent and I, are our ties to the community," he said. "… I grew up here and raised my family here. Every issue and every concern that affects the people of my district - my neighbors - affects me and my family."
In addition to past service in the Maine Legislature, Lemont's experience also includes past service on the Kittery School Committee.
