Willette eyes Dist. 7 legislative seat
By Kathy McCarty
MAPLETON — Alex Willette, 21, of Mapleton, is running as a Republican, hoping voters select him to fill the the Dist. 7 seat currently held by Rep. Patricia Sutherland, D-Chapman.
Dist. 7 encompasses the communities of Oxbow, Masardis, Wade, Washburn, Littleton, Monticello, Hammond, E. Plantation, Chapman, Castle Hill, Mapleton, and parts of Presque Isle and Crouseville.
Willette’s interest in politics took root at a young age, during his years of Scouting.
“Running for office is something that I have always wanted to do. I have always been active in my community. I grew up in the Mapleton Scouting program, eventually attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. I was lucky to be raised in a family and in a community that is very close-knit and instills the value of giving back to your community,” said Willette.
While at the University of Maine at Farmington, he continued to be active outside the classroom.
“My freshman year I was elected state chairman of the College Republicans. This put me in a position of influence amongst legislators from all across the state. Using these ties, I was able to advocate for many Aroostook County issues, ranging from agriculture to business regulation,” he said.
A Presque Isle High School graduate, he went on to study political science and business at UMF, moving back to Aroostook County upon graduation.
“Since moving home from college, I have worked as a realtor at Big Bear Real Estate Company and as an accounting associate,” Willette said.
As a realtor, Willette said he’s seen families have to leave Aroostook County and Maine in higher numbers than he’d ever imagined possible as he grew up.
“Not only has Maine’s business climate hurt small businesses, it has weakened demand in the real estate market and caused property values to plummet. This, in turn, reduces revenue to municipalities and forces them to consider tax increases to fund critical services. We need to stop this cycle by making Maine a better place to do business and getting Mainers back to work,” said the candidate.
Willette said while growing up in Mapleton, he always knew he wanted to start and raise a family in Aroostook County.
“People want to raise their families in a safe place. I feel that all of Aroostook’s people should have the opportunity to come back home to good-paying jobs and the security of having family and friends nearby,” said Willette. “In order for that to happen, we need to have jobs for them to come home to. If elected, I’ll advocate for creating a pro-business climate to make it easier for businesses to come into Aroostook County and create good-paying jobs.”
Last summer was the turning point for Willette, as it became clear to him he wanted to run for office.
“That’s when I decided to run for the House of Representatives. The legislature had just passed LD 1495, the so-called tax reform that would have amounted to one of the most sweeping tax increases for all Mainers across the board. I spent two months collecting over 1,000 signatures to repeal the law as well as educating people about what the ‘tax reform’ really was going to do for them,” said Willette.
Willette said once people realized that they would lose their income tax deductions on top of having over a hundred new sales taxes levied on them, they quickly saw through the “smoke and mirrors” that was being sent down to them from Augusta.
Over the past few months, Willette has been traveling around Dist. 7, talking to voters about what their vision for the future of Maine is.
“I have heard stories of unemployment, economic hardship and the people of Dist. 7 have had enough,” he said.
For the past few years, Willette said he’s worked tirelessly as a citizen advocate in Augusta, trying to bring the business climate around.
“Augusta cannot continue down its path of fiscal mismanagement any longer. The state faces a budget deficit that is out of control, and it is time that elected officials spend within their means, just like us,” said Willette.
Willette said its up to voters to elect “people who will change the way our state operates, reining in burdensome regulations, while still protecting our people and the environment. By doing this, we can still protect the beauty of Maine, while at the same time utilizing our natural resources to provide Mainers with well-paying jobs.”
If elected, Willette said he’ll continue to advocate for northern Maine, making sure his constituents’ voices are heard.
“Having worked in Augusta, I have seen representatives forget who sent them there. I promise I will remain accountable to you as a voter. I will always be available to hear your concerns and will not cast any vote lightly,” said Willette. “On Nov. 2, I would ask that you give me your vote so that together we can turn our state around.”
