Stacked upCity Council and School Committee candidates answer our questions October 25,
2007 10:49:05 AM
Burning questions
What will happen with the Maine State Pier? How about night life in the Old Port? Or redevelopment of the former Adams School? What will be the future of the century-old Clifford School? These are the questions this City Council election is actually about. For a moment, step away from the yammering about whose fault which snafu is — let’s find some people who know how to make decisions the community can embrace.
Here’s how the council candidates stack up, and how many local artists they support.
Portland City Council at large
City Council questions:
Should the Maine State Pier process be restarted?
1. What is the single biggest problem facing Portland?
2. How many times this summer did you go out in the Old Port after 10 pm?
3. Should the city council maintain control over the school budget?
4. How many pieces of local art (including CDs) do you own?
5. What’s the one area where you think the city should spend more money?
6. What’s the one area where you think the city should spend less money?
7. How many blue trash bags do you use per week?
8. Should Portland have an elected mayor?
9. Why should young people support you?
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John Anton
Age: 42
Occupation: President, Northern New England Housing Investment Fund
Family: Married, two children (ages 4 and 2)
1. Yes.
2. Cost of living
3. Zero
4. We should collaborate
5. Six
6. Capital investment to reduce energy consumption
7. Energy consumption
8. One
9. Yes
10. Most young people in Portland are struggling to earn enough money to meet the cost of living in Portland. My priorities — affordable housing, improved transportation, and high-quality public education — are intended to address both the income and expense side of the economic struggle.
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Jim Cloutier
Age: 53
Occupation: Attorney
Family: Married, two children
1. No
2. Taxation of middle-class working families
3. Zero
4. Yes
5. More than three dozen
6. Recreation programming
7. Building ownership (city and school)
8. Two
9. Have a commission consider it
10. I understand the challenges of young people, and vividly remember my youth in Portland. We need good opportunities for people under 35. While I don’t participate in Portland nightlife, I support it and have helped prevent the enactment of rules that would have stifled it.
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Jill Duson
Age: 53
Occupation: Director, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, Maine Department of Labor
Family: Two children, one grandchild
1. No
2. Housing issues
3. Once or twice a week
4. No
5. About two dozen
6. Rental-housing inspection
7. Need to define community priorities before deciding
8. Two
9. If the people propose it, not the council.
10. I am an approachable listener, a careful questioner, and an open, transparent thinker. These traits along with my track record of effectiveness are why voters of all ages support my re-election to City Council.
Mark Reilly
Age: 38
Occupation: US Postal Service letter carrier
Family: Single
1. No
2. Lack of financial accountability
3. 2 or 3
4. Keep finance staffs merged; keep decision-making separate
5. A few
6. Building maintenance (especially schools)
7. The Sea Dogs lease
8. One
9. Undecided.
10. I am a young person too. I will be able to relate better with the younger residents of the city.
Portland City Council District 3
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Tony Donovan
Age: 52
Occupation: Commercial realtor with Fishman Realty Group
Family: Married, two children (one in college, one at Deering HS)
1. Yes, if the council can't decide
2. Lack of jobs for young professionals
3. A few
4. No
5. Several
6. Access to and from the downtown.
7. Lawn-mowing
8. Three
9. Yes
10. Because I intend to create the buzz. I will make it so Portland is a place where young people will find good work, good lifestyle and a vibrant local economy.
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Richard Farnsworth
Age: 67
Occupation Executive Director, Woodfords Family Services
Family Married, 3 children, 4 grandchildren. All grandchildren in the Portland schools.
1. No, but handle the mega-berth separately
2. Money
3. Several
4. Much closer oversight
5. Too many to count
6. Growing our tax base
7. Need to define community priorities before deciding
8. One
9. Ambivalent
10. I am honest and care about all of the citizens of this beautiful city. I have grandchildren in the city and try to keep an ear open to their life issues. I try to follow through on promises unless there is a very solid and logical reason that I can’t.
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Bill Linnell
Age: 52
Occupation: Lobsterboat and Towboat Captain; substitute teacher at Long Creek Youth Development Center
Family: Partner
1. Yes
2. One-party politics
3. None.
4. Oversight, but not control.
5. Three
6. Public safety, especially anti-gang
7. Fewer tax-increment financing districts
8. One.
9. No
10. I have dedicated myself to helping young people at Long Creek, while I could make twice the money working elsewhere. I value the fresh perspective and candor that young people bring to any discussion.
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Dan Skolnik
Age: 39
Occupation: Attorney
Family: Single
1. No
2. Culture of opposition on the council
3. At least a dozen
4. No, but accounting should remain shared.
5. Many
6. Helping local businesses coexist with national chains
7. Police officers' overtime pay
8. One
9. Undecided
10. Because I want to help Greens and Democrats stand together for progressive action. I have a vision of Portland as a world-class city of the arts, where art and commerce mix to create a hip hotspot for the 21st century.
Whack-a-mole
Who should have counted which beans? Time to stop looking at the other guy — and start searching for education-minded folks who can add. Is the school budget permanently screwed after this year’s unmonitored overspending? What kind of person will be selected as the new superintendent in charge of the troubled district?
Here’s what the candidates think — and whether they want to invade students’ privacy.
School Committee at large
School Committee questions:
1. What is your practical or professional experience managing finances or budgets?
2. Do you think school officials should be able to strip-search students?
3. Do you think there should be more, less, or the same amount of arts education in the Portland schools?
4. How many hours did you spend volunteering in the school system over the last year?
5. What one quality would you most want to see in a school superintendent?
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Vote now in over 100 categories including the best local restaurants, comedian, filmmaker, performance artist, and yoga studio
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