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Lowering the Cost of Living
Maine families are being squeezed by inflation, high energy prices, and rising property taxes. Cheryl will fight to reduce the tax burden on working Mainers and oppose wasteful state spending that drives costs higher.
Hancock County residents — from Ellsworth to the coastal villages — are paying more for groceries, home heating, and housing than ever before. Cheryl supports eliminating unnecessary state fees and regulations that add costs without adding value, expanding Maine's property tax relief programs for working families and seniors on fixed incomes, and rejecting new spending mandates that force local municipalities to raise taxes. She believes Augusta should be working to put money back in your pocket, not finding new ways to take it out.
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Protecting Maine's Working Waterfront & Natural Resources
The lobster industry, fishing families, and working waterfront communities are the backbone of Hancock County's economy. Cheryl will stand firmly against federal overreach and state policies that threaten their livelihoods.
District 7 is home to lobstermen, clammers, boatbuilders, and generations of families whose lives are tied to the sea and the land. Cheryl will be a tireless advocate against harmful federal whale rope regulations that threaten Maine's lobster fishery, oppose state policies that restrict access to Maine's natural resources without sound science, and ensure that the voices of working waterfront families are heard loudly in Augusta. Maine's fishermen and foresters don't need more red tape — they need a senator who has their back.
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Fiscal Responsibility & Smaller Government
Maine's state budget has grown dramatically while working families have seen little benefit. Cheryl believes in accountability, transparency, and spending taxpayer dollars wisely — not expanding government for its own sake.
Cheryl will bring a watchdog mentality to Augusta, scrutinizing every budget line to ensure your tax dollars are spent efficiently and honestly. She opposes unfunded mandates pushed down to towns and school districts, supports regular audits of state programs, and believes that government closest to the people governs best. Ellsworth and Hancock County communities should control their own destinies — not be dictated to by bureaucrats in Augusta or Washington.
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Supporting Small Businesses & Local Economy
Maine's small businesses are the engine of Hancock County's economy, yet they face a growing pile of regulations, workforce shortages, and high energy costs. Cheryl will cut red tape and champion policies that let local businesses thrive.
From downtown Ellsworth shops to seasonal tourism businesses along the Blue Hill Peninsula, small business owners are the lifeblood of District 7. Cheryl supports streamlining the state's licensing and permitting processes, expanding workforce housing and vocational training programs so businesses can find qualified workers locally, and opposing new mandates that disproportionately burden small employers. She will be the small business community's champion in the Maine Senate, not another obstacle.
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Public Safety & Second Amendment Rights
Safe communities and individual rights go hand in hand. Cheryl strongly supports the constitutional right to keep and bear arms and will oppose any legislation that infringes on the rights of law-abiding Maine gun owners.
In rural Hancock County, the Second Amendment isn't a political talking point — it's a way of life. Cheryl will oppose any state-level red flag laws or gun registration schemes that punish responsible, law-abiding citizens. She also supports fully funding Maine's law enforcement agencies, ensuring our sheriffs and local police have the resources they need to keep communities safe. Cheryl believes in addressing the root causes of crime — including mental health and drug addiction — rather than restricting the rights of honest Mainers.
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Local Control of Education
Parents and local school boards — not Augusta bureaucrats — should have the primary say in how Maine's children are educated. Cheryl supports parental rights, school choice, and returning decision-making power to Hancock County communities.
Cheryl believes that the best educational decisions are made closest to home. She supports expanding school choice options so families can find the right learning environment for their children, protecting parents' rights to be informed and involved in their children's education, and resisting top-down curriculum mandates from state agencies. She will work to ensure that every education dollar reaches the classroom and that Hancock County's schools have the flexibility to meet the unique needs of their students and communities.