Issue Position: Senior Citizens

Issue Position

Supporting our seniors and heating our homes:

The cost to heat one's home in the bitter cold Maine winter continues to increase. We need leaders who are willing to invest in natural gas in order to save money for Biddeford residents.

Maine ranks 49th in the country in terms of homes--only 4%--heated by natural gas. The cost savings of using natural gas has been reported to be as high as 50%. However, the cost to convert from oil to natural gas hits homeowners--especially seniors--with initial woes. We need to create a plan that subsidizes homeowners who transition from oil to natural gas. Not only can the savings from natural gas save lives by preventing seniors from going cold in their homes, but it also has a significantly less harmful impact on our environment.

In addition to heating oil, Maine's seniors are being targeted by Governor LePage. He has labeled Medicaid as "cannibalistic.' In other words, according to LePage, Maine spends too much money on Medicaid which leads to cuts in other programs. Governor LePage is wrong on this issue.

80% of those on Medicaid are Maine's seniors (43% of Maine's children are also on Medicaid). Medicaid is an absolutely vital program that should not be cut. Instead, we must focus on why programs like Medicaid are becoming more difficult to sustain with the state's budget.

One reason: We had a chance to expand Medicaid using federal dollars and Governor LePage vetoed the bill. If this does not get signed by the governor by the time he leaves office, I will work with my colleagues to ensure this passes!

Second reason: More young families and working age tax payers are leaving the state. In 2013, Maine was one of two states that experienced a net-loss in population. This is bad news for Maine and even worse news for seniors. We need working age folks to live, work, and raise families in Maine as a means to alleviating the tax burden on seniors. This means we must find ways to attract young folks back to Maine. We must invest in technologies such as broadband. We must continue the redevelopment of downtown as both a social scene and living space. And we must work more closely with students at the University of New England.

The key to protecting seniors is by having generations working together!

When it comes to bettering the lives of Mainers and creating comfortable retirements, we need a leader who will stand up against high costs for resources that we need in our everyday lives. Whether it be health care or heating oil, we need to adopt sensible, cost-effective solutions.

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