Paul Welch
Running to represent Standish and Steep Falls, in District 85
About Paul
I grew up on the banks of the Saco River right here in Standish, in a camp on a dirt road, on a party line with our neighbors. There wasn’t even a grocery store in Standish back then. We swam in the river and walked home at night with friends, and nobody worried about much of anything.
Standish isn't that town anymore. Hannaford came, the roads got paved, and what was once a genuinely rural place has become a suburb people are discovering for the first time. I've watched this town change enough to know exactly what we stand to lose if we're not careful, especially people looking out for each other, raising a family without being priced out of house and home, our small-town independence.
I wanted my kids to have some version of what I had — a slower pace, real connections instead of constant noise, a town where helping your neighbor is just what you do. When my wife and I worried about the schools our kids were heading into I committed to improving our schools.
Serving on the Bonny Eagle school board has defined how I think about public service. I didn't just show up to meetings, instead, I sat in classrooms, walked the hallways, built a clear first-person understanding of what was going on. When parents and teachers raised concerns about curriculum, I audited the classes myself so I could see what was actually happening, not what I assumed was happening. When it became clear kids needed textbooks and workbooks back in math classrooms, I worked to get them there. I served a year as board chair, and I helped guide the district through the tension every school board faces: how do you invest in the future without overburdening the people paying for it today?
That question, how do we invest in our people without crushing them with costs, is the one I want to bring to Augusta.
I was born in Standish. I've watched it change, and over and over, I've chosen to stay and do the work rather than opt out when things got hard. That's what I'll keep doing in Augusta: showing up, doing the homework, and fighting for a Standish.
What Matters Most
Bringing Costs Down for Standish Families
I know what it's like to watch your tax bill climb faster than your paycheck. I'll fight to slow the growth of property taxes and lower everyday costs — from housing to healthcare — so families who've called Standish home for generations can afford to stay.
Fair Funding for Education
Our schools shouldn't have to keep raising local property taxes to cover costs that are really the state's responsibility to fund. As a school board director for the past five years I've seen this problem firsthand and I'll push Augusta to take on its fair share so our kids get a great education without pricing families out of their homes.
Jobs & Workforce Pathways
Not every good career starts with a college degree. In my own workplace, I've helped build hiring pathways that let people start strong careers right out of high school, and I'll bring that same thinking to Augusta. There's dignity in work, and every young person deserves a real path to adulthood and independence.
Protecting Our Natural Resources
Standish’s lakes, rivers, and miles of ATV trails make this an incredibly special place to live. As we grow, I'll work to protect access to our natural resources and keep Standish from losing that unique character.
Past Accomplishments
School Board Director, MSAD 6
5 years, 1 as Chair improved our school buildings got textbooks back into math classrooms audited classrooms to see what's happening
Trustee, Standish Congregational Church
Standish Food Pantry, Volunteer
Lake water quality monitoring, Volunteer