O'Neil, DuPuis compete for House District 129 seat

Incumbent Democrat Maggie O’Neil and Republican challenger Stephen DuPuis are vying for the State House District 129 seat, covering part of Saco.

The candidates, in alphabetical order.

 Stephen Dupuis, 66, is married with three children, five stepchildren and 10 grandchildren. He is a Saco school bus driver and a retired software engineer.

Dupuis served on the Saco Planning Board for nine years and is a current member and vice-chairman of the Saco Economic Development Commission.

He said his varied background in business makes him a good candidate for the state house. Working for high-tech companies like Digital Equipment, Compaq Computers and Fairchild Semiconductor has given him knowledge in how large businesses work, he said and his part-ownership in his family business, Dupuis Hardware and Locksmith has given him an understanding on how small businesses work and thrive. 

“For Maine to move forward, we must foster economic development in this state. By creating opportunities for our young people to stay and thrive in our State, we can help to retain our youth and lower the average age of Mainers,” said Dupuis.

If elected, Dupuis said his top priority would be helping to put the state’s spending back on track.

“State spending has risen $1.2 billion and most of that increase came from the Federal Government in the form of pandemic relief. This pandemic relief has helped to generate the 8.5% inflation that we are currently experiencing and driven down real wage growth,” he said. “Too few people are working as our labor participation rate has dropped below 61 percent. In short, we need more people working and contributing to growth in our State.”

Dupuis said he strongly believes in parental rights and parents are the most important teachers our students have and a critical link in their development.

“Parents should have a voice in what is being taught to our youth,” he said. “In the event that a school is not meeting the needs of the student, the parents should be able to transfer their children into a school that better meets the needs of the student. The state of Maine's share of the education dollars for that student should follow the child to the new school.”

Maggie O’Neil, 33, is single. She is a UMaine Law student and employment law associate and a former park ranger.

She has served on the state legislature for six years and is a board member of Age Friendly Saco, working with the Saco Senior Covid Relief community coordination and Saco Senior Property Tax Relief Work Group.

O’Neil said the bills she has submitted have arisen from conversations with community members. She also likes to partner with students on projects as they are the next generation of leaders.

“For every decision, I put Saco and the wellbeing of our community first,” she said. “I will continue to fight for funding our schools; strengthening broadband; ensuring healthcare access; improving our transportation infrastructure; and supporting our seniors, families, and small businesses as we continue to recover from the pandemic. The next two years will require strong leadership. I will continue to use what I have learned to make state government work better for our community and all Mainers.”

O’Neil said if re-elected her top priority would be to ensure the economic recovery of small businesses and working families, focusing on areas such as education, workforce and housing, healthcare access, and energy costs.

“Attracting and retaining skilled and innovative young people is a cornerstone of growing our state’s economy—and it ensures we have a tax base to support neighbors in or nearing retirement. I will prioritize strategic investments in higher education and trade programs to connect Maine students with high-paying jobs across the state, including nursing, engineering, computer sciences, and trades. I will support keeping in-state tuition affordable and improving tax credits for graduates with student loans,” she said.  “I will also prioritize smart investments in housing, childcare, and public transportation. The housing crisis has far-reaching impacts, from local employers seeking workers to our schools. We also have an opportunity to improve public transit for neighbors of all ages commuting to work, buying groceries, and getting to doctor's appointments. I hear from local employers that lack of transportation is a barrier to hiring workers.”

She said if re-elected. she would work to assure Mainers have access to home weatherization and heat pumps that conserve energy as well as heating assistance, prescription drug assistance, rental assistance and property tax relief.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.