Voter Guides - theballot.org - The League's Waterville Area Voter Guide (ME)

Governer

John Baldacci (D)

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Governor Baldacci’s first term fulfilled many core issues that the League believes. His leadership in the fight for civil rights, commitment and support to young people by establishing youth groups focusing on keeping Maine’s youth here, and his commitment to raising the bar around environmental standards made us proud. Under his leadership we saw an increase in the minimum wage. He was Instrumental in vetoing LD 1481 which would have eliminated local controls over community development. We look forward to working with him during the next four years.

Patricia LaMarche (Green)

Endorsed Vote: No

LaMarche is running because Maine needs tax reform, jobs and universal health care. She wants to end poverty, create medical, dental and pharmacy schools in Maine as the cornerstone of better healthcare and economic recovery for all Mainers. She’s pro-choice, opposed to term limits, and supports bio-fuels.
LaMarche platform makes the League smile – finally someone who speaks our language. She understands the housing problems, healthcare problems, college debt, living wages and environmental sustainability. However, the wheels come off when you notice she has never been an elected official at any level of government. Her lack of experience, leadership and team makes the League pass.

Barbara Merrill (I)

Endorsed Vote: No

Merrill is running because our current government in Maine is big, expensive, top heavy with management and is highly change adverse. Supports abortion rights, feels environment is our biggest asset, and believes in local control. Opposes gay marriage, TABOR, and term limits. Supports clean elections, Land for Maine’s Future, and bio-fuels.
Merrill has all the intangibles’ to become the 1st women governor of Maine. However, can an independent truly make a dent in the governor’s race of 2006? The League does not think Mainers are interested.

Philip Morris Napier (I)

Endorsed Vote: No

Napier is running because of his sense that the People are no longer getting the representation they deserve. Supports abortion rights (as long as men get equal rights to abort), supports gay marriage (politicians should mind their own business), supports TABOR, term limits and is opposed to Clean Elections.
“The People’s Hero” is not a viable candidate for governor. He is running under “The League of Pissed Off Patriots”. We love his branding and his campaign has a strong libertarian streak to him, but he is opposed to Clean Elections and thinks wages depend on your lifestyle. We are not for ‘the People’s Hero.’

US Senate

Jean Hay Bright (D)

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Hay Bright is running with real concern for issues like universal health care, living wages, good jobs, and progressive taxation. She is pro-choice, anti-NAFTA, and has a strong belief in the separation of church and state.
Many candidates claim these issues, but Jean actually walks the walk. She understands our country’s need for sustainable energy, has solutions for immigration issues, and since she is an organic farmer, she knows what it takes for agriculture to be local and sustainable. She is the League’s choice for US Senate.

Olympia Snowe (R)

Endorsed Vote: No

Volunteers tried to reach her for 3months. She never responded. Her voting record illustrates that she does vote well on some League issues especially around abortion. Dispite her claims to moderatism, her voting record shows she votes with her party 80% of the time.

William Slavick (I)

Endorsed Vote: No

Slavick wants to create the North American Union to protect our goods and markets. He supports Universal Health Care, living wages, and taxation according to one's ability to pay.
Slavick’s views are solidly independent, but the League need a progressive so we are passing.

US House

Larence D'Amboise (R)

Endorsed Vote: No

D’Amboise’s platform focuses on the following issues: bringing jobs back to Maine, national security, educating the next generation, tax reform, taking care of veterans, and making health care more affordable. He has experience as a small businessman and a father.
D’Amboise’s agenda sounds good, but he has little in the way of an actual plan to carry out his platform goals. Despite his good intentions, he has little experience, and we cannot support him.

Michael Michaud (D)

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Michaud has extensive leadership experience. He served many consecutive terms in the Maine Legislature and Senate, and is now finishing up his first term in the US House. During his time in Washington Mike worked hard to lower prescription drug costs for seniors, as well as secure fuel assistance for low income families (LIHEAP). Among many things, Mike pledges to continue creating new job opportunities in Maine, which he hopes will help quell the brain drain in this state.
The League has seen Michaud deliver on many of the promises from his first campaign, and if elected, we are confident he will continue to be a fierce advocate for Mainers. Although Michaud does not agree with us on every issue, we will continue to support his smart responses to Maine’s needs.

State Senate (District 25)

Thomas Davis (R)

Endorsed Vote: No

Thomas is running on a platform of affordable healthcare, government accountability, and affordable taxes. He is very involved in community building in Waterville and pledges go work for non-partisanship in the Senate. He has some leadership experience as a businessman and a non-profit board member.
The League feels Davis has a strong independent agenda, but unfortunately, he fails to take clear positions on issues such as TABOR, immigration, and gay rights. His leadership experience is somewhat limited. The League passes on Davis for Senate.

Lisa Marrache (D)

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Marrache is running on a platform of better healthcare, government accountability, and economic revitalization. She has 6 years of experience in the Maine House. During that time he has worked hard for issues such as human rights, and health care. She supports a woman’s right to chose, Dirigo Health, Civil Unions, and a living wage. She opposes TABOR, and is a strong advocate for the separation of church and state.
The League has seen Marrache in action, and knows her to keep her promises. She digs deeper into issues, and always has a plan for how to solve Maine problems. She’s a physician and a mother who is committed to issues like education and healthcare. We strongly support Marrache for her strong leadership skills.

State House (District 76)

Marilyn Canavan (D)

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Canavan has worked in the Legislature for 6 years, and has extensive leadership experience in other state and local positions. She is running on a platform of good jobs, access to higher education, affordable healthcare, and a clean environment. She is a strong advocate of woman’s rights and the separation of church and state and supports a living wage. Canavan can be seen each campaign season going to the door of every constituent!
The League heartily supports Marilyn’s progressive agenda. We also approve of her realistic solutions to problems of environmental conservation, local participation in government, job creation, and more. She is so overqualified for this job, it’s not even funny.

Mark Tyler (R)

Endorsed Vote: No

Declined to respond to our Candidate Survey.

State House (District 77)

Pamela Trinward (D)

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

No information Available.
Last year the League endorsed Trinward in her run for school board.

Christopher Duperry (R)

Endorsed Vote: No

Duperry wants to reduce taxes, reduce the cost of health care, reduce red tape for small businesses, redo education funding formulas, reduce cost shifting and unfunded mandates.
As far as the League knows, Duperry has no leadership experience. He has some noble ideas, but we don’t have the confidence in his ability to get things done. We pass on Duperry.

City Council (Ward 1)

Fred Stubbert (D)

Endorsed Vote: No

Stubbert has extensive experience in local positions such as the School Board and City Council. He would like to see Waterville’s tax base expand to bring in new business. He would also like to control city spending and preserve Waterville’s heritage and culture.
The League can see that Stubbert shows much love for his community. Unfortunately he has very little else to say as far as statewide issues are concerned. He’s on the fence when it comes to important issues such as TABOR, Dirigo Health, and affordable housing. We decline to endorse this candidate.

City Council (Ward 7)

Steven Aucoin (D)

Endorsed Vote: Yes

Aucoin has been involved in civil rights and low income housing issues for 35 years. His platform includes reforming the tax exempt ratio, and protecting reserved areas from commercial encroachment. He opposes TABOR and supports Dirigo Health.
The League is delighted to see someone so committed to affordable housing and a living wage. We believe Aucoin to be incredibly informed on local issues and will propose real solutions in Waterville. We endorse Aucoin.

Question 1: Citizen's Initiative

Endorsed Vote: No

“Do you want to limit increases in state and local government spending to the rate of inflation plus population growth and to require voter approval for all tax and fee increases?”

TABOR’s proposed spending limits are too rigid and take away local control over taxes. Every increase in spending would require a 2/3 majority vote by a city council, plus a majority of citizens via publicly funded referendums (guess who pays for that? Joe Public) If passed, this bill would do away with majority-rule decision-making, and create a system in which it is virtually impossible to respond to the needs of a community. Policy research has shown that, if implemented, this legislation could cut funding for many needed programs and services like fire, police, and schools. We believe Maine has a tax problem, but this is not the way to fix it. Please vote no on 1.

Question 2: Constitutional Amendment

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to state that a citizen’s initiative or people’s veto petition must be submitted to local or state officials by the constitutional deadline in order to be certified and, in the case of a citizen’s initiative, must be filed with the Secretary of State within 18 months?”
The League has no endorsement for this question.

Waterville Referendum

Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement

Charter Amendments:

In 2005 the City of Waterville passed a series of changes to the City Charter. This year you will be asked to approve or deny 6 amendments to that charter. The changes consist of mostly small word substitutions.
The League takes no positions on these amendments.