In the race for the Waldo County senate seat, Senate Republican Leader Michael Thibodeau is being challenged by Democrat newcomer Jonathan Fulford.

Thibodeau, of Winterport, who was first elected as a state representative for the same community, said if he is re-elected, one of his first priorities would be to seek better funding for nursing homes. He said examples like Pittsfield Rehab & Nursing, which closed because of lack of funding, demonstrate the financial crisis many nursing homes are in.

“It’s something that is particularly important to folks in western Waldo County,” he said.

He said another priority would be finding solutions to long waiting lists for services and programs at the Department of Health and Human Services.

“It’s not the federal government that isn’t keeping up with the funding, but it’s because the state can’t afford the funding,” he said.

The owner of Mount Waldo Plastics and T.B. Equipment said that he is opposed to MaineCare expansion because he said the state is already on the hook for other underfunded human services.

“Until we fund these waiting lists, we’ve got our priorities out of place,” he said. “It’s like anything in your own home. You’ve got a budget and you’ve got your priorities.”

Fulford and Thibodeau are in agreement that they would like to find a way to lower property taxes by increasing the amount of sales tax money shared with towns and cities through the municipal revenue sharing program.

If elected, Fulford said his top priorities would be reducing property taxes by working to enforce the state’s commitment to fund 55 percent of school districts’ essential programs and services. He said he would also work to lower property taxes by restoring the municipal revenue sharing program to the level of funding shared with the towns and cities before state cuts.

Fulford, a Monroe resident, said that as someone running for state Senate with no government experience, he was at first apprehensive about having signs and campaign material with his name and face on it, but the experience isn’t as uncomfortable as he anticipated.

“I thought it would be uncomfortable, but even though I’m the candidate, the campaign is really not about me,” he said. “You’re not doing this because of something you want for yourself but because of something you want to do for others.”

Fulford said he supports the expansion of MaineCare, the state’s insurance program for the poor, because the expansion would have a positive effect on the economy and would provide insurance to those in need.

“I’m totally in favor of expanding MaineCare. It’s not a perfect system, but not expanding it was a mistake,” he said.

Kaitlin Schroeder — 861-9252

kschroeder@centralmaine.com

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