Stephanie Hawke made the decision to run for the position of District 61 Representative in January of this year. Hawke was encouraged by the action of legislators in the 125th session that were pro-small business, such as lowered taxes and regulations regarding welfare. She is challenging three-term incumbent Bruce MacDonald (D-Boothbay). Hawke cites small business, taxes, welfare, the working waterfront and education as her priorities.

Wasteful spending

Hawke said she believes much of the wasteful spending in Augusta is in part due to excessive welfare waste and other agencies that seek funding with taxpayer dollars.

“The state needs to know the difference between want and need,” Hawke said, noting the recent scandals involving excessive wasteful spending in the Maine Housing Authority and Maine Turnpike Authority.

“I think its great that people get massages, but not with taxpayer dollars. Huge salaries, vacations and lunches should not be from taxpayer dollars. It's a really big deal,” Hawke said. “Granite counter tops and stainless appliances for low-income housing, you don't need high cost materials to build good homes for people. And nobody saw any of this?”

These alleged scandals are case-in-points of why she believes there must be more transparency in Augusta and agencies such as these.

While Hawke would not support taking assistance from the elderly, sick or disabled, she said she sees Maine's welfare system as one that encourages people not to work.

“It seems they want a person to have nothing before they can get assistance. The current guidelines encourage people not to work,” Hawke said. “I say let's not penalize people for working, let's help them.”

Working waterfront

Hawke and husband Andy are natives of the region. As a lobsterman's wife, she has lived with the continual new regulations for one of Maine's top industries. The state needs to help processors already here and encourage the creation of more, and stop sending our lobster to Canada, she said. But, according to Hawke, current state and federal regulations make this prohibitive.

Hawke said she would like to see more done with Maine branding of lobster and to promote it more beyond the New England area.

“We know our lobster is good. I think the Maine brand lobster tags were a good idea. There is a surcharge on Class 1 (lobsterman solo), 2 (captain and 1 sternman) and 3 (captain and 2 sternmen) lobster licenses of roughly $200 to $400 for marketing our product," Hawke said. "If marketing can help raise the price of lobster from $2 a pound, it's worth it.”

Hawke is not in favor of setting price on lobster, because it is a cyclical business. Warmer waters led to lobsters shedding their hard shells six weeks earlier than usual this year, but as Hawke pointed out, this has happened before.

The proposed wind farm to be located 12 nautical miles off Boothbay's shoreline is also of concern to Hawke because the location is in existing fishing grounds as well as the affect on marine life.

“My husband is one of the lobstermen who fish out there. Statoil has not given any of the fishermen any information and (they) do not know if the farm will affect them or not,” Hawke said. “Everything comes at a cost, and this would be a big cost.”

Hawke said she believes the Statoil wind farm demonstration project would be too costly. She said hydro-power and natural gas are good energy sources and ones that will create jobs.

St. Andrews

Hawke describes herself as a “frequent flyer” to St. Andrews and believes the closure will have a far-reaching negative impact on the region. She said she supports the work of the task force, but hopes it explores all of the monetary costs carefully.

“I am very disappointed in the secretive methodology used by hospital administrators to implement this decision. Hundreds of our neighbors have contributed to, and volunteered for, the hospital over the years. This was a kick in the teeth to each and every one of them,” Hawke said in an email.

With regard to the option of creating a community hospital district she is concerned about the costs to the taxpayers, particularly those on fixed incomes.

“In general, I think we must be aware of the tremendous cost of starting a new hospital ... certainly over 20 million dollars,” Hawke said. “And we must be very cautious about adding another taxpayer supported bureaucracy, supported by a citizenry of whom many are on fixed incomes.”

Education

Hawke believes that a stronger emphasis on job training for students not bound for college is crucial to residents in the state and each town's economy.

“The focus is on college, but not all kids are going to go to college. There needs to be more training for carpentry, electrician, plumbing and mechanical jobs. There just aren't enough people in these professions,” Hawke said. “Give the kids options. At 16, how do you know what you want to do? We need to look beyond sending them to college to get a higher paying job.”

“Kids who don't have the grades or the interest in college need to know there are other jobs, good paying jobs, out there for them. The robotics and engineering classes at the high school are extremely popular – kids are finding out they are good with figuring things out and working with their hands.

“Adult ed is wonderful. There are a lot of people who take the computer classes and today its almost to the point that you can't do anything without a computer.”

Small business

Hawke said she is acutely aware of the taxes imposed on small business that make being a small business owner so challenging.

“If we're are losing money or not making enough, I have two choices; I can jack up the prices, but I don't want to do that because it affects everybody; or I trim things, make the business more efficient and that's what the state needs to do,” Hawke said. “If the state watched their budget like a small business owner has to watch theirs, they wouldn't have to raise taxes ... Then people would have more in their pockets to live and to spend.”

“I've run several small businesses: a restaurant; gas station; and this garage. I'm good at business. I know what it's like not having any money and having to work three jobs,” Hawke said.

“I'm fully aware of how to make a dollar stretch. I think business people need to keep going. I'm very pro-business; it's the heart of the world.”

Hawke can be reached at 370-5184 or stephaniefor61@gmail.com.

Lisa Kristoff can be reached at 844-4627 or lkristoff@boothbayregister.com.