Justin Chenette

Democrat

Candidate’s Links:

Office Sought: Senator – District 31
Age: 25
Occupation: Journal Tribune Digital Advertising Executive, owner of Chenette Media LLC, State Representative
Education: B.S. Broadcasting, A.S. TV News, Minors: Political Science & Professional Multimedia Communications
Family: Married
Hometown: Saco

Political experience

State Representative (4 years)
Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee
Co-Chair of the Legislature’s Youth Caucus
Young Elected Officials Network State Director
Former State Board of Education Member
Past intern with U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe
My community involvement includes being the President/CEO of the Saco Bay Center for Civic Engagement, Saco Main Street Board of Directors, Thornton Academy Class Agent, and active member of the Saco Bay Rotary Club, Biddeford-Saco & Old Orchard Beach Chambers of Commerce, and Buxton-Hollis Historical Society.

Why are you running for office?

We should expect more from our elected officials than simply continuing the status quo and scoring political points for the next election. We desperately need to hit the reset button at the State House. It’s time for a new generation of leadership to step up to the plate. The State House should be the people’s house. It should be a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Sadly, the reality is the special interest group and lobbyist with the largest checkbook has the most direct influence over public policy decision making. Through large contributions via PACs (political action committees), these corporate interests and slick high paid lobbyists, demand access, influence, and votes of sitting legislators. The entire system is a web of completely legal bribery. Maine deserves better. You deserve to have a government that is transparent, accountable, and fights for the best interests of main street over those at the very top trying to re-write laws to increase their bottom line. Together we can reform state government to work better for us. I’m running for the State Senate to build consensus, put forward common sense reforms, and change how we do business. Once government is more effective and efficient, we can be better suited to tackle the long term systemic problems facing our long term growth and sustainability as a state.

• 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?
  • No

    Frankly our property taxes are too high. No one I’ve met, talking with folks at their door, has said income taxes are a barrier to reaching success in their lives. Instead, I’ve met countless residents severely burdened by the ever-increasing property taxes. The state should provide adequate municipal revenue sharing that pays for essentials like fire and police in communities. We must also ensure we are funding education at the 55% rate for the state’s share that helps local schools afford quality education and improvements. This prevents local districts from picking up a bigger portion of the tab. For the sales tax, there should be a local options sales tax so that municipalities like tourist heavy Old Orchard Beach and Saco can lean a little more on visitors and less on residents. It also provides local control on how that money is spent rather than sending it to the state.

• Background Checks: Do you support background checks for privately sold firearms in Maine?
  • Other

    Firearm safety and regulations are a balance; a balance between personal and public safety, preserving our constitutional right to defend oneself, and our heritage of hunting in our beautiful state. I think it’s important to close the gun show loophole and ensure proper background checks. Without a mandatory permitting process, we have limited our law enforcement one less tool to go after drug dealers and traffickers and protect victims of domestic violence. Most responsible gun owners welcome a background check. They grew up around firearms, took safety courses, in some cases got a permit, and have nothing to hide. I do have some concerns with how Question 3 is worded. I would prefer we flush out a better proposal that takes into account what would be best for Maine regardless of what other states do. One out of state special interest group against another isn’t the right debate.

• 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?
  • Yes

    Mainers work hard. Our strong work ethic is something that represents the core of who we are. While productivity has steadily increased, while the cost of goods and services have also increased, wages have not caught up. If wages were directly tied to inflation, we probably wouldn’t have a need for arbitrarily increasing the minimum wage. The reality is, people need to afford the gas in their car in order to get to the job. People need to be able to afford a basic standard of living. While corporate America racks up record profits, their employees are relying on state and federal safety nets in order to supplement their low wages. I think taxpayers have footed the bill far too long. Corporations should step up and gradually raise wages to limit the use of welfare programs. I applaud small businesses across our state that have already done this.

• Marijuana: Do you support legalization of marijuana for recreational use?
  • Yes

    First I think our medical marijuana law has worked great. It has provided individuals an alternative form of medication that avoids the use of addictive narcotics. I have been someone who has questioned the recreational use piece every step of the way at the State House. I personally think people should do something else with their time. Volunteer. Help others. Enjoy life without the use of a substance. From a legislative view though, I think it’s important to regulate the use of marijuana to protect people. Set high cultivation and safety standards to ensure what people are using isn’t laced with a dangerous drug. Bring it out of the shadows and use the tax revenue to benefit educational and drug prevention programs. Much like we’ve seen in other states, it also helps to increase economic opportunities which we could use in this state.

• 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?
  • It’s never enough. As a member of the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, we’ve made this a top priority to tackle this epidemic head on. This past session we passed a comprehensive proposal to increase enforcement to go after the dealers and traffickers, start a grant for local police departments to implement a judgement free/law free environment to seek resources and help, increase capacity for drug courts, and invest in various treatment modalities. We have to stop locking people up for first time drug offenses. It doesn’t get them better and back on their feet. It doesn’t get them into treatment. It also costs us more money as taxpayers. We must focus on drug prevention early on in our schools and really heighten our efforts on treatment rather than constantly cut and limit treatment like the Governor’s administration has consistently done. It starts with a conversation with folks going through the battle of addiction like I have at area programs like the Milestone Foundation in Old Orchard Beach. You really get a sense of what works and what doesn’t work on their road to recovery.