Edward Paradis

Republican

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Representative – District 122
Age: 60
Occupation: Information technology
Education: MPA – Master of Public Administration degree, University of Maine, 2012; Bachelor of Arts degree, Liberal Arts/Communications, Ambassador University, 1986.
Family: Single. Extended family in the Old Town/Bangor area.
Hometown: Old Town

Political experience

No prior experience, which I believe is a good thing! I consider myself to be an independent thinker and am fair-minded, and have experience working with those of opposing beliefs. I will work to improve the discourse in Augusta. What has gone on there for the past 40 years has not worked! It is time for a change!

Why are you running for office?

I am an Old Town native, born and raised in the area. I attended Old Town schools K-12, earned an advanced degree at the University of Maine, and am a local businessman. I believe I am well-prepared by experience and education to represent House District 122. I believe that Old Town can once again have the vibrant economy it once had. I believe state government needs to be smaller and more efficient. We can find creative ways to do more with less while supporting our most vulnerable residents. We need to do more to support education at all levels; to providsupport for teachers and the classroom while spending less administratively, We need to ease the burden of taxes and decrease energy costs for our citizens, businesses and industries. Doing so will attract greater economic activity and enable current and future job creators to prosper; a win-win for all. We need to use our natural resources, developing our forest products, agriculture and other industries while protecting our environment through conservation practices. I support our right to bear arms, and support law enforcement, for increased penalties for drug trafficking to stem this increasing our communities. I am concerned about the effects of the Juniper Ridge Landfill – to insure limits and safeguards are in place to mitigate any impact on our local environment, including the Penobscot River downstream from the site.

I worked for over a decade to help establish The Shepherd’s Godparent Home, a 501(c)3 nonprofit residential maternity home in Bangor as a volunteer and a board member. I have a heart for pre-borns, babies, their moms and families. At the other end of the spectrum, having been a caregiver for my aging mother for years I am sensitive to the needs of our older residents and will fight to protect their interests.

I love Maine and want to improve life for all our citizens. I believe I am uniquely qualified to be a strong advocate for Old Town and Indian Island residents in Augusta.

• Income Tax: Gov. LePage would like to lower Maine’s income tax rate and eventually eliminate it, by increasing the state’s sales tax and expanding it across a broader range of goods and services. Do you support this proposal?
  • Yes

    I support this proposal. Our closest neighboring state, New Hampshire, does this and has a much better economy. It taxes purchasing of goods and services, not income. We need to ease the tax burden on all citizens and businesses in Maine, creating an incentive to move to and remain in Maine, to start and grow new and existing businesses. As the economy prospers, so will our communities and citizens. As the old New England maxim goes, “a rising tide lifts all boats”.

• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • No

    I do not support this referendum question. This measure penalizes law-abiding citizens and abridges our Constitutional right to bear arms. It would not deter criminals from obtaining guns illegally. Maine is a relatively safe state to live in, due in no small part to the right to bear arms. This effort is a back-door attempt to implement gun control by out-of-state special interests who are trying to hijack or circumvent our legislative process. We only see a small portion of the proposal on the ballot for all such ballot questions. Legislation by referendum is bad public policy – it lacks the checks and balances of the normal legislative process by state government and could have unintended consequences.

• Minimum Wage: In light of the ballot question facing voters this fall, do you support raising the state’s minimum wage from $7.50 to $12 an hour by 2020?
  • No

    No, I do not support the minimum wage referendum. It would have an adverse effect on tip-earning workers, eliminating their ability to work for tip income. It will cause businesses to hire fewer workers – increasing their labor costs, which may close or otherwise negatively affect many employers and businesses. It will result in increased prices for goods and services in our state which would adversely affect those on fixed incomes – our seniors.

• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • No

    I am opposed to this referendum. We are in the midst of a growing drug crisis in Maine. Legalizing marijuana would present challenges to DUI enforcement, would threaten our underage population and our communities in general with the increased availability of a gateway drug. It would hinder our prosperity, result in increased poverty and addiction, demoralization and enslavement. I do not want to see Maine go down this road – do not think it is wise at all.

• Addiction/Overdoses: Do you believe the state is doing enough in response to the rise in heroin/opiate addiction and overdoses? If not, what else should be done?
  • I support Governor LePage’s efforts. I would like to see much more funding for law enforcement at the state level to address the influx of illegal drugs, for more staffing, training and equipment for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, for the Maine State Police and related agencies. We need stiffer penalties for those bringing illegal drugs into the state to quickly address this scourge. Additionally, treatment programs must have physician oversight, and need to demonstrate measurable results and outcomes. I would like to see other types of treatment approaches evaluated alongside existing treatment programs to determine which is most effective for patients and cost-wise for taxpayers. I would like to see an ongoing special task force on illegal drugs, bringing together state and local officials, medical and other experts to more aggressively fight this problem through targeted legislation, enforcement/prosecution and treatment.

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