House District 83: Belgrade, Fayette, Manchester, Mount Vernon, Vienna

Clyde Dyar

Age: 67

Political Party: Republican

Residence: Mount Vernon

Employment: self-employed economic development specialist with ownership in two corporations

Education: College B.A.; certified Maine assessor; certificates in management and other fields.

Political experience: 30 years municipal, four years county, worked on many legislative issues and projects over the past 30 years.

Pat Jones

Age: 65

Political Party: Democrat

Residence: Mount Vernon

Employment: retired state public health worker

Education: associate degree in dental hygiene, bachelor's in community health, master's in public administration

Political experience: Incumbent state representative; served on School Union 42 board; worked with Legislature through state public health position; worked with various nonprofit organizations

1. What can you, as a state legislator, do to help people struggling this year with the high cost of gas and oil?

Dyar: Money has to be found from both the federal and state levels to meet the crisis created by the Legislature. See my position paper on my Web site, www.votedyar.com.

Jones: I'm committed to increasing LIHEAP funds and emergency funding for those above LIHEAP eligibility but unable to afford fuel. Weatherization and alternative fuels are key to reducing foreign oil dependence. Grants, loans, tax credits and trained auditors and installers are needed to provide incentives to Mainers to change their homes.

2. How would you handle the biggest issues facing the towns in your district?

Dyar: The biggest issues facing the towns of this district and throughout the state are the unfunded mandates, taking money away from education, 911 funds and jail consolidation to balance the budget.

Jones: Constituents are most concerned about rising fuel costs. Those able to pay are worried about neighbors. Energy costs are stifling small businesses. I encourage homeowners to insulate their homes and burn wood. Businesses should get energy audits and conserve fuel. I would support legislation helping businesses obtain alternative energy resources.

3. Do you have any plans that would result in more jobs for Maine?

Dyar: We need to look at the world economy and how we can interface with the economy's needs. Alternative fuels could be producing more jobs if the Legislature and Department of Energy had vision, and research and development were focused on how to complement what is happening in the world economy.

Jones: I support investments in weatherization and research to encourage green-energy jobs. I voted for a plan to fast-track wind-energy projects. I'd support continued incentives to create energy jobs. I support lowering income taxes, expanding pine tree zones and investing in workforce training in healthcare, energy and technology.

4. What do you think of the beverage-tax repeal on the November ballot?

Dyar: My opponent voted for the beverage tax. I would have voted against it. I support the repeal.

Jones: I'm frustrated out-of-state companies are bankrolling a proposal that will challenge our ability to provide health care. Lowering health care costs and decreasing cost-shifting that happens when people don't have insurance are priorities. Paying pennies more for wine, beer and soda is a reasonable compromise for funding Dirigo Health.

5. Would you support legislation to change the income tax or sales tax?

Dyar: Only if it would reduce the tax burden or take the burden off of the property tax.

Jones: Lowering Maine's income tax and providing relief for low- and middle-income families are needed. It would provide incentive for businesses to move here. Maine's sales tax is woefully outdated; it's costing taxpayers more than it should. We should update the sales tax, exporting taxes to out-of-state tourists.

6. What's the biggest social issue facing the state in the next two years?

Dyar: School consolidation. There are many social issues that will arise from the economy but none that will make the impact of school consolidation. Education will be making a drastic change in parallel with school consolidation as we change to a format that includes the business needs in the education system.

Jones: Our most significant social and moral issue is responding to the energy and economic crisis Maine families will face during national recession. Watching Maine's childhood poverty rate increase, seeing small businesses struggle, tracking increasing foreclosures, hearing the stories of elderly neighbors worry about how to pay for oil this winter.