Chris Miller (55) of Gray enters race for Maine Senate District 11 - Maine Green Independent - Cumberland, Gray, Falmouth, North Yarmouth, Yarmouth

"Maine cannot afford what it has now," Chris says, "and Maine cannot afford another cycle of leadership extorting from the future."

The "economic downturn" we experience reflects in part ongoing massive ecological and environmental collapse. There will be no recovery around the corner and tax revenues of all sorts will continue to plummet. Chris will focus on establishing a fair, sustainable and supportable budget that works as well for the least well off as for those best off.

Chris will introduce plans to restructure state government, reversing the trend to consolidation and pushing toward much needed decentralization and self-sufficiency. Maine needs local-in-state commuter rail like the old Interurban; it does not need to subsidize tourists with long-distance rail.

"Local, local, local; local solutions to local problems."

"Bring our money home," Chris says. "Why is Maine still doing business with the likes of AIG and the other Wall Street investment banks that have wrecked our economy? Let's put state money in state chartered banks subject to state regulation."

"Why CAN'T we take back Anthem and reinstitute it as a community investment trust, a non-profit just like the Blues used to be?" Why do corporations get more rights and protections than flesh-and-blood Mainers? Every school child knows the answer to "If you cut it does it bleed?"; only corporate lawyers and overpaid lobbyists argue otherwise.

Chris is a father, a 1979 graduate of MIT (Architecture), a large scale organic gardener, a writer and a long-time activist focused on energy issues. In 2006, he ran for Governor in the Democratic Primary. He is a member of both Peace Action Maine and the Second Maine Militia.

Contact Chris (657.4963) for more information, to sign nomination petitions, or to make a Clean Elections contribution.

Follow the campaign here at http://www.mainecommonwealth.com/.