An organic farmer with a passion to end hunger and an Iraq war veteran concerned about rising property taxes are running this year to represent House District 81.

Incumbent Democrat Craig Hickman, 46, of Winthrop, promises he would continue to work to strengthen Maine’s food independence and stability.

Republican Lee Fellman, 27, of Readfield, says he would find out why the state has failed to properly fund education and work to continue welfare reform if he is sent to Augusta.

House District 81 includes Winthrop, Readfield and a small section of Monmouth.

Hickman, an organic farmer who owns and operates Annabessacook Farm, has served one term in the Legislature. He was president of the Maine Electoral College in 2012 and was a Democratic National Convention Delegate in 2008.

Hickman has made his presence felt volunteering for a number of community-based service programs. He is chairman of the Winthrop Area Rotary Foundation, director of the Winthrop Community Gardens and Fresh Food Bank at Annabessacook Farm and secretary of the Winthrop Hot Meal Kitchen. Hickman also serves on the boards of the Annabessacook Lake Improvement Association, Theater at Monmouth and Western Kennebec Economic Development Alliance.

“I remain committed to my community,” Hickman said. “Jobs and the economy are the major issues facing my district and all of Maine.”

Fellman, a construction foreman and staff sergeant instructor in the U.S. Army Reserve, has never held an elected office, but he said his experience would be invaluable as a legislator. Fellman, who studied music at Berklee College of Music in Boston and the University of Maine Augusta in between enlisting in the Army in 2006 and his deployment to Iraq in 2009, is now taking online courses through American Military University where he is studying international relations with a concentration in Latin American studies.

Fellman said he worked as a political analyst in Iraq helping prepare briefs for generals in command.

“It’s intense,” he said. “Iraqi politics made American politics look downright friendly.”

Hickman said his top priority, if re-elected, will be continue to work on legislation that strengthens Maine’s food production and sustainability. That effort includes making Maine food independent by improving infrastructure that allows farmers to get their food to consumers.

“I will strive to create public-private partnerships that craft a plan to end hunger in Maine once and for all,” Hickman said.

Hickman said he also is committed to ensuring benefits to veterans and their families.

Fellman said people with whom he has visited in his district are concerned about rising property taxes. He said 70 percent of Readfield’s taxes go to public education. In Winthrop that figure is 60 percent.

Property tax increases have been driven, in part, by lawmakers’ refusal to provide 55 percent of public education costs as required by law. The state has never met that threshold and has scaled back its funding in recent years, forcing towns to pick up a greater portion of education costs. Fellman said his priority if elected will be working to force the state to meet its 55 percent minimum.

“It’s passed into law, but it’s never happened. Ever,” Fellman said. “The money that’s supposed to go to education, where is it going and why?”

If the state is unable to meet the 55 percent threshold, Fellman said there must be agreement on a funding formula it can realistically achieve.

Fellman said people in his district also are worried about the rising costs of health care. He said he has talked to a number of people who do not want to be completely dependent upon the state’s welfare programs, but are unable to get assistance from some state programs without enrolling in them all. He said the current structure offers no incentive to work because people risk losing more in state benefits than they can earn in income. Fellman said there needs to be a tiered program that allows people to keep some benefits while working.

“I want to try to develop these assistance programs in a way if you need some help from one program, you can get that assistance and not become fully dependent,” Fellman said.

Craig Crosby — 621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @CraigCrosby4

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