House District 89 includes Farmington and Industry.

Name: Keith Mahoney

Age: 21

Address: Farmington

Occupation: Student, University of Maine at Farmington

Education: B.A. program, UMF

Political Experience: Franklin County Republican Committeeman, Franklin County Republicans, chairman of UMF College Republicans (chairman)

Name: Janet T. Mills

Age: 60

Political Party: Democrat

Residence: Farmington

Employment: Attorney

Education: Farmington High School, University of Massachusetts, Boston; University of Maine Law School

Political experience: Elected district attorney for Franklin County, 1980-1995; state representative, 2002 to present; member, Legislature's Appropriations Committee and Judiciary Committee

Political experience: Elected district attorney for Franklin County, 1980-1995; state representative, 2002 to present; member, Legislature's Appropriations Committee and Judiciary Committee

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

Mahoney: "The state legislative body needs to work together and form an energy policy and in the future, we need to invest in alternative energy. For now, we should look into a plan for a northern Maine refinery that would lower the cost of fuel and provide jobs and a boost in the economy."

Mills: "I have distributed as much information as possible to my constituents regarding (Low-Income Heating Assistance Program), weatherization, energy efficiency, grants and low interest loans from the state. I have encouraged conservation and have supported alternative energy sources."

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

Mahoney: "I would work to provide tax cuts to the middle class to help stimulate the economy and help them afford health care, food, prescription drugs, and finally, the cost of fuel."

Mills: "I have advocated for greater health care coverage and for funding for our hospital, our university and our school system. I have been a proponent of new jobs for Franklin County, such as NotifyMD, for instance, and other new, clean industries for western Maine."

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

Mahoney: "Providing a business- friendly climate in Maine would invite more corporations and companies to provide more jobs. This will also provide more opportunity for small business development and growth."

Mills: "I will continue to work with our state and local economic development team to attract new jobs. I will continue to push for tax reform to lower the income tax in order to attract and retain good businesses."

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

Mahoney: "I think that it is a good cause. Dirigo is a failed program that was supposed to pay for itself and cover 128,000 uninsured citizens of Maine by 2009. To date, the program has covered 11,500 and has stopped taking on new clientele. The legislature threw money at a program that is under-performing, and this happened with the overtaxed citizens footing the bill."

Mills: "Those opposed to the beverage premium should offer alternatives for funding the reinsurance program, which will reduce insurance premiums statewide, and for DirigoChoice, which provides health insurance for thousands of individuals and small businesses and provides competition in the marketplace. I haven't yet heard any acceptable alternatives."

5. Would you support legislation to change the income tax or sales tax? Mahoney: "The only legislation I would support when it comes to taxes is tax cuts. The only changes that should be made are lowering taxes to provide much needed tax relief." Mills: "Yes. Our sales tax is already low but the income tax is too high."

6. What's the biggest social issue facing the state in the next two years? Mahoney: "School Consolidation. It is another half-brain idea thought up by Gov. Baldacci to cover himself financially without regard to the implications it has on the community level." Mills: "Jobs, energy and health care. Our aging population will strain our health care system while a decrease in the number of young working people will strain our tax base, our ability to sustain educational and health care resources and our effort to expand our energy resources."