Name: Jim Boyle
Address: 25 Dundee Road, Gorham, ME 04038
Education: B.S. Forest Management, University of Maine 1981
Personal info: I grew up loving the woods, which is how I chose my career path as a forester and wetland scientist. I now have a wonderful blended family with my wife, Sue Durst. We are very fortunate that our four children and four grandchildren all live in Maine.
Employment: I’ve spent my career owning small businesses that protect the environment. I started out as a forester before starting my first environmental consulting company in 1996. Today, I own and operate Environmental Permitting and Inspection, LLC.
Political and community experience: Voters in Gorham, Scarborough and part of Westbrook elected me to represent them in the Maine Senate from 2012 to 2014. I served as the Senate Chair of the Environment and Natural Resource Committee and as a member of the Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee. I am on the Board of Directors of the Efficiency Maine Trust and have served on the Board of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, and as President of the Maine Association of Wetland Scientists. In each position I have used a good mix of life and small business experience to advocate for my neighbors in Gorham and Scarborough.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
Keeping people safe during the pandemic, while getting life back to normal for families and businesses, will shape my priorities.
We have outstanding schools, and we need to make sure teachers can deliver a great education to our kids in a safe way. This starts with continuing to fund public education at the voter approved 55% and ensuring teachers and parents have the resources to navigate the realities of the pandemic.
Having a strong economy with access to good jobs starts with supporting small businesses. As a small business owner, I understand what the state can do — and can’t do — to help people create jobs and grow their businesses. Maine needs to invest in higher education and skills training so workers can access the jobs available.
How we tackle climate change is also an important component of Maine’s economic future. We must continue to execute Maine’s climate action plan by transitioning to renewable energy and reducing our reliance on dirty fossil fuel.
I believe it is important that state government keep an eye on the bottom line, like every business I have run. I will focus on combating increases in the cost of living, particularly as they relate to property taxes, prescription drugs, and other basics like heating oil and groceries. Maine people work hard to support their families and communities, and our state government should work hard to make it easier for them to do so.
Name: Suzanne Phillips
Address: Harding Bridge Rd
Education: Gorham High School class of ‘94; B.A. in Art and Education University of Southern Maine
Employment: Town Councilor, nanny and house cleaner, former Executive Director of Gorham Business Exchange
Personal info: I enjoy gardening, photography, painting, cooking, and reading in my
free time. I enjoy being outside walking, snowmobiling or motorcycling.
Political and community experience: Gorham Town Council (3 terms) Vice Chairperson and Chairperson, TC Finance committee and Economic Development committee; Gorham School Committee member (1 term), SC Policy committee; Gorham Business Exchange board member, Gorham Founders Festival Committee, Gorham Historical Society President (4 years to current), Gorham Taste Walk Coordinator, Gorham Snogoers Club member
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
Serving the Gorham community, both on the Town Council and School Board, the largest concerns are Traffic/Roads and Schools/population growth. The new arterial project to connect Gorham to the turnpike will help to alleviate some of the traffic problems in the South Gorham/ Scarborough area, but we should also continue to consider alternative means of transportation to continue to lessen the “pass through” traffic problem from towns further west.
The School funding formula and School construction process is the other major issue, with Gorham seeing increasing numbers of families looking to move to the area.
Gorham needs a solution at the State level to address its ailing facilities needs, as people move from other areas of the State to our community, We cannot shoulder the burden alone as a town. If elected I will advocate for these areas, and understand the issues at hand for our Town.
Name: Timothy J. Thorsen
Address: 124 Gray Road #B, Gorham, ME 04038
Education: BA, Political Science, University of Washington, 1982
Personal info: Married to H. Rebecca Thorsen, two adult daughters. Colonel, USMC (Retired). EA-6B Prowler Electronic Counter Measures Officer, CH-53E Helicopter Pilot. Veteran of the Cold War, Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom (deployed to Iraq), Operation Enduring Freedom (deployed to Djibouti). Junior Past Commandant of the Southern Maine Detachment of the Marine Corps League (Detachment 1324). Junior Vice Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6895 (Portland)
Employment: Director of Project Management, Rubb Building Systems, Sanford, ME
Political and community experience: I am a keen follower of current events and the current state of affairs in Maine caused me to for run for office. Elected leaders need to focus on issues that affect daily life, not ones driven by national agendas.
What do you see as the major issues for our community and how might they be addressed?
Education: Ensure that our children are able to safely stay in school. Students have already lost so much due to Covid.
Parents have learned a lot about what students are learning and need to be in control of their kids education and developmental needs, in consultation with educators.
Prosperity: Daily living is becoming increasingly unaffordable for all but our most wealthy citizens. I will support returning excess state tax revenues back to taxpayers and lowering taxes.
Maine small businesses, the backbone of our communities, have been devastated by our response to Covid and need to be strengthened. Every Maine community has lost well-loved, established businesses. We also need to return to a culture that values, encourages, and supports contributions from everyone.
I will promote generation of, and access to, abundant and affordable energy. High energy costs lead to higher prices for food and everyday items we need. There is no reason we should not have low-cost energy and be energy independent like we were until recently.
We need to avoid further Covid shutdowns or policies that further weaken our healthcare systems. A well-functioning economy is essential for the general health and well-being of Mainers. Several nursing homes and facilities serving individuals with disabilities have closed recently.