Address: 43 Royal Oaks, Auburn

Education: Master’s degree in public administration from University of Maine

Political: One term on Auburn City Council and candidate for second term

Community Groups: Auburn Sewer District; University of Maine A.A. adviser

Mennealy runs as people’s voice

AUBURN – If the tax-cap referendum passes, Robert Mennealy believes the county must face its share of cutbacks.

Legally, the county would be unaffected by the cap, since the city and town property tax bills are the ones that would be restricted. However, with county taxes being added to municipal bills, the county would have an ethical responsibility to cut wherever it could, Mennealy said.

Though he always supports making responsible cuts, the post-cap cuts would be an unwelcome chore, he said.

“Hopefully, it won’t pass,” said the outspoken member of the Auburn City Council. “It would put a choke hold on everything.”

Mennealy believes his work on city budgets would help him on the commission, where he would be one of three commissioners instead of one of seven councilors.

“I would need some time to acclimate myself,” he said.

However, it shouldn’t take long, he said.

“I have been interested and involved in politics all my life,” he said. As a young man, he worked as an intern for Sen. Edmund Muskie.

As a city councilor, he has toured the county jail and listened to discussions of its budget and population. He called Jail Administrator John Lebel “a true professional.”

He said he has time to take on another role in local politics. When he printed his campaign posters, he purposefully left the office vague.

They read, “The Voice of the People.”