Jonathan Fulford is seeking the seat for Senate District 11, which comprises Belfast, Belmont, Brooks, Burnham, Freedom, Islesboro, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Lincolnville, Monroe, Montville, Morrill, Northport, Palermo. Prospect, Searsport, Stockton Springs, Swanville, Thorndike, Troy, Unity, Waldo and Winterport.

I grew up the fifth of six children, my father was a reading teacher for people with special needs, my mom raised the kids and later did office work. I started working when I was eight years old mowing lawns, babysitting and having a paper route. As a teenager, I was drawn to the farming life of my grandparents, working on dairy farms, orchards and as a carpenter. Following high school, I started a fruit tree nursery and market garden with a brother in Monroe. Interestingly, 30 years later, two of my sons followed the family passion for farming and starting North Branch Farm in Monroe with their families. In the late 1980s, after marrying and having my first child, the need to earn a better income led me to start my first building partnership. I've spent the last 28 years raising children and building houses. One of my sons owns our construction company with me now. I live with my wife Chris in Monroe and enjoy our five grandchildren every day.

What are the most pressing issues facing Maine today, and how would you like to see them resolved?

First, we need more livable wage jobs in Maine and Waldo County. We can grow our economy through supporting small and medium size businesses. We can do this in a number of ways. The solar bill LD 1649 that was vetoed last session is a good example of how the government could make sure that energy costs for businesses are lowered and around 800 good paying jobs would have been created without any cost to the taxpayers or ratepayers of Maine. The Efficiency Maine program can be strengthened and the Maine Public Utilities Commission can be required to release the funds for energy efficiency. This would also create many well-paying construction jobs, lower homeowner heating and energy costs, and make Maine businesses more competitive.

Second, Augusta has a transparency and money problem. Its culture of backroom meetings and secret talks where policy and budgets are created and decided does not allow the public an opportunity to understand and participate in the process as our current laws require. The ability of lobbyists to give money to politicians for their PACs tips the balance of power away from the common interest in favor of special interests. In order to have the people of Maine be the only constituents that our elected officials work for,we have to stop letting someone else pay them. Eliminating Leadership PACs and requiring all candidates to run as Clean Election candidates would be ways to tackle this; both ideas would be challenges to the Supreme Court's recent rulings.

Third, the damage to our rivers, lakes, and bays by industrial pollution, including mercury, has poisoned our families and hurt our economy. There is the continuing threat that contaminated dredge spoils could be dumped in the Penobscot Bay, instead of safer disposal inland. Renewed mining of dangerous, high-sulfide deposits continues a legacy of putting the short term profits of large corporations over the long term health of our communities by shifting the cost of clean-up to the taxpayers and citizens of Maine. A legislature that works for the people should make sure that industry is appropriately regulated.

Fourth, the impact of climate change and ocean acidification on Maine is already being felt across the state. Warmer waters in the Gulf of Maine are changing the fisheries. Warmer winters are increasing the tick populations. Rising sea levels are flooding areas that didn't use to be regularly flooded. Historically unusual weather is affecting our farms. These impacts can be addressed on a state level through reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, doing the advanced planning and research for how to adapt, and applying best practices for our resource based economy. We can't afford to wait any longer.

Fifth, there is a rapid loss of dairy farms in Waldo County...farms that have often been in the family for many generations. This year's drought will put many of the remaining farms at even greater risk. Our farms are essential to the economic health of our state, and growing more of our own food increases our food security.

To sum up: we can support the rapid increase of solar electrical generation and we can significantly increase the energy efficiency of our homes and businesses. We can make our farms and agricultural infrastructure a priority as they produce more of our food locally and sequester carbon in the soil. These are all achievable today. We are only lacking political leadership.

How will you protect the local (municipal) taxpayer as you help shape a state budget?

The state needs to fully restore the revenue sharing that was cut in 2011. That along with funding the schools at 55% will go a long way to lowering property taxes. We need to be very mindful of how additional state laws and regulations burden local taxpayers.

What policies would you create and promote to build Maine's natural resource-based economy?

The protection of our natural resources is essential to the economy. Because of the risk to the Penobscot Bay lobster and crab fishery from the proposed Searsport dredge, I support upland disposal of any dredge spoils. The reputation of Maine's $3 billion-a-year lobster fishery should not be threatened by contamination when other alternative options are available.

What policies would you create and promote to sustain the natural resources of this state (fisheries, timber, mining)?

The biggest threat to our fishing industry is climate change and ocean acidification. The increased use of solar and other renewable energy sources as well as reducing our energy use through improved efficiency is essential and achievable. We must do what we can on a state level to reduce our greenhouse gas production. We need to revise our regulations to protect our clamming from the invasive green crabs that the warmer waters are allowing to devastate the clam flats, grass beds, and mussels along our coast. We need to diversify the sources of income for the fishing community so it is not so dependent on lobster as that fishery looks towards the future.

Our timber management needs to shift towards higher value management practices instead of focusing on lower value fiber production. There has to be a better understanding of what the impact of our changing climate and invasive pests will have on our forests in order to have a strong forest products industry going forward. Some work has been done in our university system, much more needs to be done and best practices need to be created and implemented.

Mining in Maine has a checkered past which taxpayers are still paying for. We do not need more mining that creates polluted lakes, ponds, rivers and bays that will cost taxpayers millions of dollars to try to clean up as best as possible and then still leave a permanent tax burden and environmental cost until the next ice age scrapes it into the ocean.

What is your position on alternative energy and public investment into it?

The future of energy production is renewable energy. This is an area where Maine can grow our economy. The investment in research and development should be supported and increased in our university system. Offshore wind has potential and solar is already a sensible and economically viable energy source. Battery technology is rapidly advancing and could radically alter how distributed power from wind and solar is incorporated into the grid. We need to be ready to benefit from these technologies as they develop.

What is your position on the five citizen initiatives that are before voters Nov. 8?

1. Keeping marijuana illegal has not worked for controlling or reducing the use of marijuana. Our current approach creates an illegal market that is unregulated and supports the drug cartels. There is conflicting information out of Colorado being used by both sides of this issue. I think it is time to try something different. I do not support the use of marijuana for recreation, but regulation, restrictions, and prevention programs may be a better approach to reducing its use rather than arrest, incarceration, and punishment.

2. It is a matter of fairness that our children should have well-funded quality schools no matter how wealthy their school district is. I support Question #2 to increase the state funding of schools to 55 percent  because it will help level the playing field for our children. It will also provide property tax relief and is paid for by an increase of 3% to taxable income over $200,000.00. This is an example of a more fair and effective tax policy that is good for children, parents, elderly, homeowners, towns, and the economy.

3. I do not want people who have committed violent crimes including domestic abuse buying firearms. Background checks are the best way we have of reducing that from happening. I think that Question #3 was written without understanding our hunting traditions parties. If it passes, the law will need modifying to allow hunters to loan firearms using a written form that provides for a one-month loan between two private parties.

4. As a small business owner with employees, I support raising the minimum wage to $9 and then $1 more each year until it reaches $12. A person working fulltime should not be living below poverty. Paying people closer to a livable wage will benefit everyone in society as it will reduce our need to support working people who still can't make ends meet. Seventy percent of our economy is driven by consumer spending. Having more working people earn a better income will stimulate the economy. This is good for small business. I support Question #4.

5. I support Question #5. Our democracy will be stronger with ranked choice voting. When adopted elsewhere, this has been successful in improving the tone of politics and giving voters more say in our election choices.

What issues are emerging from your conversations with the public as you go about your campaign, and what solutions do you envision?

People want more livable wage jobs, they want their children to be able to stay in the communities where they grew up instead of leaving or settling for low paying work. Creating a stronger economy that has jobs that pay well is essential.

The elderly are being squeezed between their Social Security benefits and the rising cost of living, particularly property taxes. Lowering property tax must be a priority.

The level of divisiveness, dishonesty, and anger in the politics is very upsetting and discouraging. People want more civility from their elected leaders. Every elected official should be expected to be respectful and not to use threats of violence.

A recent Maine Dept. of Labor report indicates the workforce will get even older, and more jobs will require post-secondary education. How will you work to build a knowledge-based economy when so many of Maine high school graduates do not seek higher education?

It is important to have an educational system that provides options for students to learn the skills needed for many of the trades as well as giving students the ability to succeed in higher education. For example the new Maine School for Marine Science, Technology, Transportation, and Engineering in Searsport will be providing a path towards good paying careers. Funding the public schools at 55% will help many more of our schools reach the standards that Maine's best schools already do.

Is Maine doing enough to accommodate the successful assimilation of immigrants?

The ideals represented by the Statue of Liberty are the standards we should keep. The tone of resentment and blame that some people have leveled at the immigrant community has been harmful to all of Maine. We are stronger through our diversity, our lives are richer for knowing more people and cultures, and our economy is healthier with the addition of more hard working people.

What is the best legislative activity that has occurred in Augusta over the last six years? This does not have to mean legislative action, but can include collaboration, research, etc.

The bi-partisan stakeholders group that hammered out the solar bill LD 1649 was an example of the best of government. It brought together groups that had never before been in agreement on how to compensate producers of solar electricity. The unique agreement was supported by every solar installer in Maine, CMP and Emera, all of Maine's environmental groups, LePage's appointed Public Advocate, and many Republican and Democratic lawmakers including from the Energy, Utilities, and Technologies Committee.

The creative compromise would have lowered electricity rates for all of Maine while creating 800 good paying jobs throughout Maine. It was poised to unleash $500 million in investment in Maine. The bill would have reduced the $6 billion we spend importing fossil fuel into the state each year, and cut our production of greenhouse gasses at the same time.

It would have been a big win for Maine, unfortunately it was scuttled by partisan politics and out of state corporate lobbyists.

How would you define "good state government?"

A "good state government" is one that has fair taxation and delivers good value for the taxes we pay. It needs to be transparent in its operation and accountable to the people of Maine. It must look after the health and wellbeing of all its citizens including our future generations.

Is there any other topic or issue you'd like to talk about here? Have at it!

There is a growing need for home health workers in Maine as well as quality housing for the elderly. When someone is forced to go to a nursing home instead of staying in their home it often reduces their quality of life and ends up being an additional cost to the taxpayer. We can do more to both provide affordable home health care and housing for the elderly.

The growing opioid drug crisis needs greater attention and resources. The addition of ten more treatment beds last year was a small step in the right direction but we need many more. The ongoing treatment and counseling services that are needed to succeed in recovering from addiction should be expanded. Accepting the rest of the ACA money would help provide that treatment.