A Republican and chairman of the Weld Board of Selectmen is running against a Democrat business owner from Anson in the race for House District 112.

Democrat Jack Frost is challenging Republican Thomas Skolfield to represent Avon, Carrabassett Valley, Carthage, East Central Franklin, Kingfield, Phillips, Sandy River, South Franklin, Weld, Anson, New Portland and Starks.

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Skolfield | Frost

Skolfield, who retired from the state Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, said he is worried about future generations being stuck with the bills for the cost of government. He said there are a number of reasons that he’s running, “but first and foremost, I am concerned about the potential situation we are leaving our children and grandchildren to face in the years ahead.

“We cannot continue to rack up the cost of government today for them to pay for tomorrow.”

Frost, who owns property management company North Country Services in Anson, returned to his native Maine from Pennsylvania with his family two years ago. He said the inability of the Legislature to overturn Gov. Paul LePage’s vetoes has him frustrated.

“I’ve seen too many quality bills fail to override our current governor’s veto in the past few years,” he said. “Common sense bills like L.D. 1431, the farm to schools bill, could have made a significant and positive impact.”

One LePage veto Frost would vote to overturn is on a crucial aspect of the Affordable Care Act, the expansion of Medicaid.

“Voting for Medicaid expansion is one of the moments I’m looking forward to the most if I have the honor of being elected,” Frost said. “The benefits have been proven in other states. It’s not a debate about theories or political leanings anymore. Medicaid expansion works.”

Skolfield said the costs of the program are too high.

“Under this proposal, nearly 40 percent of our state’s general fund budget is predicted to be spent on MaineCare in the next ten years,” he said. “This places an overwhelming burden on our hardworking Maine taxpayers.”

The candidates are in agreement on the need to restore full funding of the state’s promise to share its revenues with local government.

“Reductions to the revenue sharing program cannot continue,” Frost said. “It places an increased burden on property tax payers, many of whom are on fixed incomes and cannot afford the added bill.”

Skolfield sees the impact of the loss of state aide to local communities as being especially difficult for the state’s school districts and said the state should honor its promise to help local government pay for mandates enacted by the state. Skolfield sees areas in which the state overspends dollars that could go to local government.

“We need to put our county jail system back in order … pumping more dollars into it is not the answer,” he said. “State government has a great deal of redundancy. Each agency should have to periodically explain its programs to show why it should continue to be funded at the current level or if at all.”

On Gov. LePage’s position denying state reimbursement to municipalities for welfare payments made to undocumented immigrants, Frost said, “I don’t believe illegal immigrants should be able to access welfare.”

Skolfield said Maine residents are generous, giving and compassionate.

“As a society we are and we should be as generous as we can without injury to ourselves,” he said. “We need to stop encouraging and we should stop allowing those who are coming here illegally. Our state, our nation, our cities and towns need to put our hardworking taxpayers and those citizens who are truly in need first.”