SOUTH PORTLAND – Councilor James Soule is not running again for the City Council District 3 seat he currently holds. But three other people are vying for it on Nov. 3: Chris Kessler, Rosemarie de Angelis and Gary Crosby.

All three are active in community groups. Crosby and Kessler would be new to elected office; de Angelis is a former city councilor.

The District 4 council seat also is up for election, but City Councilor Maxine Beecher, who represents that district, is running unopposed.

The three candidates competing for the District 3 seat provided information about their backgrounds and answered the following questions regarding some issues likely to come before the City Council in the next year or so. The issues are referred to by number in each candidate profile.

1) In November 2007, city voters rejected a plan to borrow $56 million to renovate South Portland High School and build a new addition to it. Now a committee is working on a plan that would cost less money – possibly in the $40 million to $49 million range. What is your position on the project?

2) If the council decides to ask voters to approve borrowing money for the high school project, should the council send that bond question to voters at a June election or at a general election in November? School officials say the vote should be in June 2010 to take advantage of the favorable construction climate and to begin the work by the summer of 2011. However, more voters go to the polls in November elections.

3) If TABOR II and another ballot measure reducing the motor vehicle excise tax pass at the polls in November, city officials say South Portland could see a drastic reduction in revenues, necessitating cuts in city services and tight future budgets. What are your ideas for coping with this potential lack of revenue in the budget? Name:

Name: Gary Crosby

Age: 49

Address: 2 Tanner St.

Occupation: Self-employed, owner of the Neighborhood Laundromat on Broadway

Education: High school; two years studying automotive technology at Southern Maine Vocational Technical Institute

Personal: Married 30 years, three children, one grandchild and two on the way

Political and civic experience: Current member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, former member of the board of the Evergreen Credit Union; coached softball and soccer when his children where younger. Served on the Willard Beach Task Force Committee.

Why are you running for office, and what makes you stand out as a candidate?

I believe people should be involved with the community that they live in. This is how I would like to contribute. With over 25 years of owning businesses, I have the ability to look at budgets and make decisions.

On the issues: 1) SPHS project: If we are going to renovate then we need to be realistic about the cost; $40 million is certainly better than $56 million.

2) June or November vote: The question should be sent to the voters in November. Too few people show up for the June ballot. With so few voters showing up we would not see a true representation on what the public wants.

3) Revenue reduction: As I understand the TABOR II bill, spending would be set based on previous years budget. One of two things will happen if it passes or a combination of the two. Large spending cuts or large property tax increases. The other scenario could be small cuts and small tax increases.

Name: Rosemarie de Angelis

Age: 57

Address: 30 Buttonwood St.

Occupation: College instructor, guardian ad litem, family mediator, speech/language pathologist

Education: Master of arts degree, University of Maine, Orono; over 55 graduate credits beyond master’s in education, family law/guardian ad litem and mediation training

Personal: Single

Political and civic experience: City councilor 2003-2006; People’s Regional Opportunity Programs Board of Trustees, three years; volunteer advocacy work with immigrant and refugee populations from 2004 to present; member of South Portland Historical Society; member of South Portland Land Trust.

Why are you running for office, and what makes you stand out as a candidate?

I am running for three reasons: 1) to provide the voters with choice; 2) to continue my commitment to civic engagement; 3) to represent the residents of this city as a true “voice of the people.”

I believe that I offer a clear, consistent and unwavering voice for the residents; I often speak for those who may not feel comfortable or able to do it themselves. This is a familiar role for me, as I did it for years as a union leader and now as a volunteer for refugees and immigrants … I am willing to push outside my comfort zone to represent others, as well as myself, in public forums. My knowledge base, my willingness to ask questions and acknowledge what I do not know, my tenacious nature, and my ability to articulate concepts and ideas are strengths I believe I would bring to this position.

On the issues: 1) SPHS project: As a former teacher at SPHS, I am well aware of the needs and limitations of that facility. I am also in touch with the limitations of the taxpayers in these difficult economic times. I support the review of the high school and believe the voters are the right group to make the final decision. I am confident that the committee will work hard to educate/enlighten and provide the residents with enough knowledge to be informed voters at the polls. Education is our greatest investment in the future of our city. Without quality education, our youth will not be prepared to take over the responsibilities of our fine city.

I am a lifelong educator; for over 33 years, my vocation has been founded in my belief in education and my dedication to advocating for youth. It is critical that we support education in South Portland. It is our future.

2) June or November vote: I believe that a November election would be a more judicious decision. November always has a higher voter turnout and would likely provide more confidence from the residents in the outcome of the vote.

3) Revenue reduction: Budget cuts are never easy. I do not believe that there is much “fat” in the city budget. As we all know, the bulk of our tax dollars funds our high-quality school system and meets a critical need in the future of this city. Should these two items pass in November, the council may be forced to look at the school budget more closely. It is my hope that as voters go to the polls, each one realizes the connection between each vote. One vote to support Tabor II will affect other services that most of us want to sustain – one of those being our educational system. There will be no way to fill that gap without taking from somewhere else. Thoughtful voting and consideration of the consequences is in the hands of the residents of Maine on the issue of Tabor II.

Name: Christopher Kessler

Age: 27

Address: 37 Cottage Road, Apt. A, South Portland Web address: http://christopherkessler.blogspot.com/

Occupation: Direct care other qualified mental health professional, working with special-needs children at Spurwink Services until laid off in July; now starting up eco-friendly home-cleaning service

Education: B.A., music, State University of New York at Oswego Personal: Married to Jessie, moved here from Syracuse, N.Y.

Political and civic experience: Maine chapter leader for StudentLoanJustice.org (grassroots effort to restore standard consumer protections to student loans), member of SoPoDOG, the South Portland Land Trust, Hour Exchange Portland, Local Sprouts community-supported kitchen.

Why are you running for office, and what makes you stand out as a candidate?

I desire to be a voice for the people of South Portland, and take their views into consideration when making important decisions. I also want to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the council. I see my newness to the political scene as an advantage, as I have the ability to foster new positive relationships.

On the issues: 1) SPHS project: It is important that our students have a safe and secure environment to learn and thrive in. Work needs to be done, and I am looking forward to seeing the ideas that the Board of Education is coming up with. In terms of financing the project, we should have transparency and public input in order to eliminate the fear of wasteful spending.

2) June or November vote: It is the responsibility of the citizenry to be educated and engaged in the governmental process no matter what time of year it is. In times when nearly one out of five people are unemployed, it would be unfair to postpone progress on such an important project because of citizen apathy. Taking advantage of the current market is another good reason to vote in June rather than November. It is important, though, to recognize that other issues can be better served if presented at general elections.

3) Revenue reduction: The city of South Portland should be making every effort to plan for this kind of future regardless of this November’s election results. It should be looked at as emergency preparedness, as it is predicted that we are likely to see skyrocketing oil prices and continuing economic turmoil. This has to be approached from many angles, including decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels, stopping wasteful spending, increasing efficiency, encouraging sustainable development, and finding new and innovative ways of doing business.

Gary CrosbyRosemarie de AngelisChristopher Kessler

Copy the Story Link