To the Editor:

A rumor’s been running around that my friend, Fred Horch, opposes raising Maine’s minimum wage.

I couldn’t believe this, so I checked his website. There, I found wise and humane policy proposals about minimum wage that took into account the needs of those working several jobs to stay afloat, and also the needs of those working to open or maintain the small local businesses that provide most of Brunswick’s jobs.

Briefly, Fred is definitely for raising the minimum wage, but is for doing it more rapidly with out-of-state businesses than small local ones.

Fred’s thoughtful and balanced approach to the whole picture of jobs and wages is consistent with his approach to other essential community issues — education, health, economics, energy, the environment and politics. He’s been an employee and an employer. He’s got kids in Brunswick’s schools. He’s a lawyer and understands how to write and read legislation. He’s a Clean Election candidate and a Green Independent, beholden to no one in Augusta other than his clear head and good heart. He’s a person who lives his beliefs and who’s worked consistently for years to improve our community.

Fred’s exactly the kind of honest, informed and quietly forceful presence we need in our state politics. Let’s not miss this chance.

Eric Herter
Brunswick