Robin Mayer is currently the chairman of the Board of Selectmen in Damariscotta.  She also runs a small business that works with state governments to improve highway safety. She is running as a Republican in State House District 90.

On the state ballot questions, Mayer said she is against the legalization of marijuana based on the experience of other states, including how to deal with  impaired drivers, and the use of the drug by children. “Anything you ingest will affect brain development,” she said.  She is also opposed to Question Two, saying it hurts small business. “We need to fix how our money is spent on schools,” she said.  She opposes Question Three regarding firearms background checks on non-licensed dealers making a sale or transfer, but said if the people approve it, it will have to be enacted. “We should get rid of the lending provision and expand the definition of family,” she said.

Mayer said the minimum wage should be increased, but that Question Four hurts front of house waitstaff. “We used to consider minimum wage an entry level wage. The whole system has to be looked at. For small businesses, this will be tough.” Mayer said she would prefer a runoff to the ranked choice voting proposed in Question Five. “I’m a believer in one person, one vote,” she said.

On health care, Mayer said it is important to determine where money is being spent now on opioid addiction, what kinds of programs are available, and which are working well and which are not. She wants greater enforcement of the drug laws, prevention of drugs from coming into the state, and trying approaches such as drug courts for people who want to accept treatment. She is not in favor of accepting federal matching funds to expand MaineCare. “Maine would still have to put a lot of money into the program even with the federal match,” Mayer said.

Regarding welfare, Mayer does not oppose drug testing as long as it is random to keep the costs down. She said photo IDs on EBT cards are a good idea, because some cards have been found in other states being used by people who were not entitled to them. “It’s an abuse of the system,” she said.

On education, Mayer is not in favor of universal Pre-K. “Kids don’t get the nurturing that they would get with Mom and Dad. We can’t meet the needs of our students now. As a working parent, you have to have options, but I don’t believe it should be state-mandated.” She believes that in-state tuition should be lower than it is now, and community college should be less expensive.

Mayer said that the state can help with economic development by keeping energy costs down, lowering the corporate income tax, and doing its part to create a well-educated, well-prepared workforce, and to do the infrastructure necessary in both road and internet work to make sure Maine is a good place to do business. “We need education that will make people candidates for the jobs of the future,” she said. 

On energy, Mayer said she is concerned about the offshore wind project off Monhegan. It has been expanded to a 20-year project, and the large turbines are “yesterday’s technology,” she said. Newer turbines have only one blade, or none. She would prefer to go slower and get the benefit of newer technologies. She said we should use the power we have already harnessed in the state, whether that is hydroelectric power or wood biomass. She doesn’t approve of subsidies.

On infrastructure and transportation, Mayer said a strategic plan is necessary, based on the current conditions of infrastructure. “We have to deal with the most serious problems and go from there. She is unsure about the East-West Highway, as it is not in a position where it would benefit most Maine people. She also wants to see some sort of transit system so people can stay in their homes and communities and still get where they need to go.

Regarding fisheries, she is concerned about the condition of the Gulf of Maine and said the state should use its resources to do what it can about it. Mayer said  the state should be advocating for Maine in the markets, and encouraging entrepreneurship for value-added and new species usage, such as using green crabs for pet food.

On farming, Mayer said there are too many regulations for small farmers, and the regulations should be streamlined. She is concerned about pesticides and bees, and said if foods cannot be exported to many countries because of certain pesticide use, we shouldn’t be using it.

On the environment, Mayer said, “We are really sitting on a powder keg” regarding issues of warming and sea level rise. “More pressure should be put on the federal government from all the states.” But locally, towns have to work together to plan for issues that are likely to affect their areas, she said.