The Portland League 2007 Voter Guide
Portland, ME
November 6, 2007
The League is frustrated about the state of politics in our city! Our elected leaders have let us down with their judgments around process, management of budgets, and lack of following or having strategic plans. Furthermore, the constant infighting and the lack of accountability has created dark clouds hanging over our promising city. (Hello, Maine State Pier and Portland School Budget!)
The League is proud to introduce our 2007 endorsed candidates. Candidates and issues must receive 60% of the membership's vote in order to earn the League's endorsement. These six candidates offer expertise around management, fiscalbudgets, and collaboration. This is the team to put our broken city government back together. It's time for progress. Excited yet? Read on!
School Committee, District 3
Peter Eglinton
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Even if he wasn't running unopposed, they don't come more qualified than Peter. A former employee of the White House Office of Management & Budget, nineteen years of experience with economic policy, and an active participant in the Portland Public School system, including having already served on the School Committee since June...need we say more? Portland schools face a real fiscal challenge this year, and Peter has the knowledge and experience to contribute greatly. He wants to work hard to regain public trust by making the budget process more transparent. Plus, he serves as an advisor to the Portland Assembly of the Society of Young Magicians.
School Committee: At-Large
Kate Snyder
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Kate earns the League's endorsement because she will bring characteristics needed on the School Committee right now. She has a process and action-oriented approach, is a good listener, active in the schools, and will be committed and prepared for all that comes her way. Kate has three children at Nathan Clifford, experience as the PTO Vice President there, and has worked hard to improve the landscape of the school as Coordinator Project. Once elected, her immediate project is to set clear educational goals that will help the School Committee analyze every program and service in our schools. Additionally, she will advocate for High School partnerships with Maine's colleges and universities in order to provide students more tangible links to post-secondary education.
Orlando Delogu
Endorsed Vote: No
Orlando has a long record of public service, including past experience on the Planning Board and City Council. He is currently a part-time law professor at USM and advocate for the environment. He would like to see the School Committee own the budget process and work to develop a curriculum that meets today’s high-tech needs. His experience and ideas are solid, but his previous aggressive approach on past Portland boards makes us question – Is he the right fit for our school committee right now?
Ben Meiklejohn
Endorsed Vote: No
Ben is a two-term incumbent of the School Committee and current Finance Committee Chair. His ideas around our schools are non-stop: free transportation for students, make 1 college application a graduation requirement, and to farm out school maintenance and technology to the city. Ben’s experience and ideas are hard to ignore, but the League holds our leaders accountable, and his performance as finance chair make us pass this year.
Leslie Minton
Endorsed Vote: No
Leslie has perspective as a parent and an educational consultant. She would be committed to ensuring that all students receive the highest quality education possible and would make it a priority to provide teachers with what they need to accomplish that goal. Leslie has some great ideas about how to build stronger teachers, however, we believe her lack of management and fiscal experience does not make her the right match this year.
Jaimey Caron
Endorsed Vote: No
Jaimey works as an engineer and would give the School Committee two important skills- expertise about buildings/structures and understanding of budgets (he's a project manager). Jaimey has two kids in Lyseth Elementary School. His goals include urging schools to function more like community centers and for our schools to communicate better with parents and taxpayers. Jaimey could be a great candidate, but missing deadlines with our questionnaire and being late to our forum raises some question marks about his sense of responsibility.
City Council, District 3
Dan Skolnik
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Dan gains the League's endorsement. District 3 residents - prepare for Dan's strong leadership, time commitment, and collaborative style. His experience of serving on the Portland Police Citizen review Committee and involvement in the Old Port Nightlife Task Force gave him an inside look at the process and pragmatics in City Hall. Dan hits the League's marks around issues important to us: effective business development (i.e. jobs), strengthening and embracing our creative economy by championing Portland as a city of the arts & entertainment, and pushing Portland to incorporate environmentally-sustainable policies. Dan is a team builder for the sometimes divisive City Council, a committed voice for D3 residents, and a League ally.
Anthony Donovan
Endorsed Vote: No
Anthony is a commercial broker for Fishman Reality. The Committee is drawn to his commitment and experience in business development, land-use ideas, reducing vehicle usage, and transparency of decision-making. However, after witnessing his polarization when the business formula ordinance passed, the League is passing on Anthony. The Council needs a team-builder and collaborator.
Richard Farnsworth
Endorsed Vote: No
Richard is the Executive Director of Woodfords Family Services. He is a former State Representative and involved with the Portland Regional Chamber and Stroudwater Village Association. He brings a wealth of experience around tax policy, management, and social services to his campaign. The League thinks Richard would do well but is concerned that he would not have the needed time to give District 3 residents the voice they need.
William Linnell
Endorsed Vote: No
William works on the waterfront as a sea captain and has many rich experiences, including: past Cape Elizabeth Town Councilor, leader of Maine Yankee’s closure, President of Stroudwater Village Association, and a substitute teacher. His major priorities include containing taxes and spending, working waterfront issues, and strengthening Portland’s polices of no tolerance around gang activities. William’s perspective on the waterfront would be great on the Council, but we find his other priorities do not align with ours.
City Council, At-Large
John Anton
Endorsed Vote: Yes
John's experience in the city as a Planning Board member and active citizen, his motivation in providing transparent, long-term decision making, and stellar ideas regarding transportation, housing, and the working waterfront ensure that he will be a League ally for his full tenure on the Council. John's day job gives him expertise in housing issues. He will highlight the city's need for higher-density zoning on the peninsula, as well as reduce city-mandated parking requirements that stop development of affordable housing - a must for Portland's young people. His candidacy is a breath of fresh air as he will be accountable, experienced transparent, and fiscally responsible. The League is proud to welcome this effective leader back into the fold.
Jill Duson
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Councilor Duson has earned her third term on the Council. Jill's long service to Portland includes School Committee member, Chair of the School Committee, as well as Mayor of the city of Portland. Her enthusiasm for education, housing, and Portland in general, give her League-style cred. While we don't always agree with everything she supports, she is still hitting for a good average and, as such, shouldn't be taken out of the city's starting nine. We also encourage a balance of gender equality in the Council. The League is ecstatic that Jill will be focusing her energy on the city of Portland rather than seeking Tom Allen's seat next year. Her attention is needed at home.
Jim Cloutier
Endorsed Vote: No
Councilor Cloutier has served 3 terms on the city council and we feel it is time to hand over the reins. Cloutier can be thanked for many great things in the City of Portland including the redevelopment of Bayside and Ocean Gateway. He is well-versed in all levels of municipal policy, however, Jim’s lack of transparency as Chair of the Development Committee has made him an ineffective leader.
Mark Reilly
Endorsed Vote: No
We appreciate Mark Reilly’s concerns for housing and ensuring that constituent’s concerns are met as well as his zeal for public participation. However, we are worried that he will have a hard time compromising with the remaining councilors due to his single focus on tax relief. Taxes are a concern in the city, but not necessarily the only one. But don’t give up the fight, Mark!
Portland Water District
Gary Libby
Endorsed Vote: Yes
Gary easily gains the Committee’s 2007 endorsement. His thirteen years of experience, expertise, and passion for generating ideas make him irreplaceable. Gary has been instrumental in saving the water district money through our new bio-solid disposal contract. (His research saved taxpayers $1.42 million over 5 years!) He also has renters’ backs – he spearheaded the push to protect tenants from water shutoffs by negligent landlords who do not pay their sewer bills. Gary’s new term will bring more results for the PWD through his interest in generating hydro power, reducing additional treatment cost, and and pushing for Portland's replacement of our ancient water pipe infrastructure. Gary’s work is transparent and effective.
Keith Gibson
Endorsed Vote: No
Keith brings a young and new voice to the race. His inexperience is contrasted by his solid priorities around water capital improvements, rate structure, and being environmentally-sustainable in our water delivery. Keith’s passion for learning water issues continues an exciting trend of more young Portlanders running for elected office.
Dennis Martin
Endorsed Vote: No
Dennis is seeking the PWD position for a second time. He works as an environmental construction consultant on projects to protect watersheds here in Maine. Dennis's list of priorities include: Being visible to his constituents, reducing residential water rates, reviewing the City's sewer rate structure, and investigating why the sewer is not metered separately. He has good ideas, but is not the complete package the League can support.
Question 1: Do you want to allow a Maine tribe to run a harness racing track with slot machines and high-stakes beano games in Washington County?
Endorsed Vote: No
Pros: Studies show that a casino would bring revenue and more jobs to Maine. Also, a slot casino already exists in Bangor.
Cons: Studies also show that casinos lead to increased crime, violence and addiction … and most of the jobs would be low paying.
The League’s View: NO. We are not endorsing another venue for gambling in the state of Maine.
Question 2: Do you favor a bond issue to stimulate economic development and job creation …
Endorsed Vote: Yes
The League’s View: YES. We are endorsing a Yes Vote for all three state bond questions. Bonds are critical economic development packages for the state of Maine. This year’s bonds highlight three areas that the League feels are especially important: research and development (i.e. JOBS), higher education, and land conservation!
Question 3: Do you favor a $43,500,000 bond issue for interior and exterior building renovations, improvements and additions at all campuses of the Maine Community College System, the Maine Maritime Academy and the University of Maine System …
Endorsed Vote: Yes
The League’s View: YES. We are endorsing a Yes Vote for all three state bond questions. Bonds are critical economic development packages for the state of Maine. This year’s bonds highlight three areas that the League feels are especially important: research and development (i.e. JOBS), higher education, and land conservation!
Question 4: Do you favor a $35,500,000 bond issue to invest in land conservation, water access, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation opportunities…?
Endorsed Vote: Yes
The League’s View: YES. We are endorsing a Yes Vote for all three state bond questions. Bonds are critical economic development packages for the state of Maine. This year’s bonds highlight three areas that the League feels are especially important: research and development (i.e. JOBS), higher education, and land conservation!
Question 5: Do you favor extending term limits for legislators from four to six terms?
Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement
The League’s View: We have no endorsement. Simply extending term limits (as opposed to abolishing them) stifles the real debate Mainers want to have about this issue — why great politicians can’t stay in office and why we sometimes can’t get rid of the lousy ones.
Cumberland County: Question 1: Shall …bonds … be authorized in an amount not to exceed $1,100,000 for the construction of an expanded medical facility at the Cumberland County Jail?
Endorsed Vote: Yes
The League’s View: YES. Our jail population is increasing, so therefore the demands on medical care must follow suit. The expanded facility will give inmates on-site medical care and reduce transportation costs to Maine Medical and Mercy Hospitals.
Cumberland County: Question 2: Shall … bonds … be authorized in an amount not to exceed $1,700,000 to fund the costs of an upgraded radio and data transmission system for County law enforcement and emergency response purposes?
Endorsed Vote: Yes
The League’s View: YES. The Sheriff Department’s current equipment predates cell phones, therefore it is a worthwhile investment for our first responders.
Cumberland County: Question 3: Do you favor the Maine State Legislature increasing the number of Cumberland County Commissioner Districts from three to seven?
Endorsed Vote: No Endorsement
he League’s View: No position. However, we smell bureaucracy – we’re just not sure if it smells good or bad.
