Meet the Candidates Last Thursday, candidates running for offices in our local districts visited Mt. Abram High School to introduce themselves and answer questions from students in Barry London's government class and others. Pictured at the table (left to right) are: Walter Gooley, SAD 58 Superintendent Quenten Clark, Ann Woloson (speaking), Jarrod Crockett, Tom Saviello and Wright Pinkham. Also present were Garry Cupples, Maxine Collins and Tim Carter. (David Hart photo) SALEM — Senior moderator Rebecca London opened the meeting last week commonly known in Barry London's government class as Candidates' Night. Eight candidates on the Nov. 4 election ballot came out that evening. She explained that each candidate had two minutes to introduce themselves and tell the audience why they should be elected for office.

Wright Pinkham was the first to speak in the cafeteria of Mt. Abram High School last Thursday. Pinkham said he's running for his third term in the legislature. He said he was born and raised in District 88 and he feels that some of the people in his district are doing well, but others need jobs.

"Why anyone would want to be a legislator at this time is unknown. We do have some severe problems at the state level and we do need to deal with them," Pinkham said.

Tom Saviello took the floor stating he's in his final term in the House. He congratulated the Mt. Abram seniors for being in their final years and thanked them for putting on the night.

Saviello explained he's the elected leader of the rural caucus which is a group of 29 to 55 members that have an impact on issues that relate to his district and other rural districts. "I am the best candidate with experience. I've been there for six years, three terms, been a member of the school board for SAD 9, and a selectmen in Wilton. I've been successful in passing bills and getting things done even after they have already been killed," Saviello said.

The Representative said he's been en dorsed by the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, has an 85 ranking with a business institute, been endorsed by the teachers association and the Alliance for Maine's Future, and recently endorsed by the Waterville Sentinel.

Jarrod Crockett is running for his first term in the House. He immediately thanked the class for getting involved. "It's nice to see you get involved because you are Maine's future."

Crockett said he's running to make a difference. He explained he grew up in a logging family and it was the Army that sent him to college. He was an infantry captain and did a command in Afghanistan, went to law school and recently passed his bar. He explained that he's recently married and returned to Maine to start his career and a family when he noticed that only a small percentage of his high school class is still in the area. He said he wants to stop exporting Maine youth, wants to see the creation of more jobs and that the cost of healthcare is now through the roof. "Employers can not afford to insure and the State has regulated itself into the corner and I believe I'm the man who can make a difference," Crocket said.

"I'm an attorney so I know the legal system. I worked for Senator Snow so I know the political system and I grew up as a logger… so I understand what it's like to work. I want to make a difference for my kids someday so Maine is the type of place it was when I grew up. The way that Maine is now, we can't continue to do that. We elect the same people and we expect a different result. That's insanity and that's why I'm running for District 91 to hopefully make a difference and get your support in the process."

"The reason I am running for State Senate," Ann Woloson explained, "is because I feel we need a stronger voice in Augusta as we face important decisions regarding our schools, our environment, our healthcare, the ability to hunt and fish, to buy a home and consumer protection. While these decisions are being made in Augusta we need a strong voice," Woloson said. She said she dreads to see additional cuts at the state level like the consolidation attempt to reduce the States' deficit. Woloson said she wants to be sure her children will get through college, have a good job opportunity in Maine and be able to retire with financial stability.

Walter Gooley said he's been a forester for over 30 years working with the state in various capacities. He explained he served four terms in the house, he served on the Criminal Justice Committee, Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee and in his first term in the Senate he served on the fish and wildlife committee. "I feel I have a well rounded background in the legislature in what makes things tick." Gooley said nobody knew that they were going to have the economic challenges that they'll face in the next two years and the future should be interesting.

Tim Carter opened his speech by congratulating the two Mt. Abram teams for their success in the regular season and wished them luck moving forward. He then explained he worked on a committee to help support renewable energy and commended the wood pellet conversion project to reduce oil dependency and the new wind turbine at Mt. Abram. Carter said he sponsored a bill to provide low interest loans for businesses and schools to convert to renewable energy. Carter said he's one of the few working farmers who understands that industry and has served on the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee and spent six years working with the USDA working with small farms. "I base my votes on what I hear from my constituents and what's best for them," Carter said.

Maxine Collins said she raised four children on her own who have gone on to become successful. With that she said she understands what the needs are of the people for whom she hopes to serve. Collins said she's a member of the Planning Board in Wilton and hopes to work in the legislature to serve the people of Maine and take into consideration the desires of the constituents that she represents.

Garry Couples said he's knocked on 3,000 doors since August. "Anybody who does that will see things you wouldn't believe. People are coming to me crying because they don't have healthcare," Couples said. Healthcare is an economic question and something that you can't ignore, he said. He expressed his desire the change the healthcare system. He also said he believes the EPS funding formula used in education needs to be reworked. Couples added that transportation and energy were also on his top lists of priorities.

The Mt. Abram students asked each of the candidates a series of questions ranging from the consolidation issues and other referendum questions to energy issues.

The students eventually raised the question, based on Saviello's initial request, to ask each candidate how they would vote if a repeal of the consolidation law came before them. "I have the benefit of giving you a candid, quick and honest answer," Crockett said. "I would repeal it. I wouldn't have voted on it in any fashion to begin with… It doesn't make sense."

"What we have in front of us has to be appealed," Saviello said. The candidates that night did go on to take a straw vote based on how they felt about repealing the law. In a 5-3 outcome the majority did say they'd repeal it. Couples, Collins and Woloson said they'd try to work with the legislation they have before them, but the others said they'd wipe it out.