Anne Haskell, a freshman legislator this year, is not a new to the State House. She served three terms in the 114th, 115th and 116th Legislature representing Gorham. After that, she was a member of the senior staff for Governor Angus King as the Director of Appointments to Boards and Commissions, and worked as the Chief Operating Officer for the Maine International Trade Center. Most recently, Anne was Communications Manager for the Finance Authority of Maine, working with the legislature to enhance the programs FAME offers, which provide innovative financial solutions for business and higher education.
A graduate of Deering High School, Anne attended the University of Southern Maine while working and raising a family in Gorham. She was active in local government, serving on various boards, and as an elected Town Councilor. Her work experience includes assisting a local dentist, financial manager for a women's alcoholism treatment center, financial administrative assistant for Woodard and Curran Engineers, and starting her own small business, The Gorham Office, which provided administrative and payroll services for other local entities.
During her first three terms in the Legislature, Anne served on the State and Local Government Committee, the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee, and was House Chairman of the Committee on Corrections (now Criminal Justice and Public Safety). She was active in women's issues, and was the prime sponsor of the first Sex Offender Registration in Maine.She also worked on a variety of other legislation including the following:
After moving back to her childhood home on Higgins Street in Portland, Anne remarried and was elected to serve the district which stretches from Evergreen Cemetary on Stevens Avenue, to the Sewell Street Amtrak and intercity bus terminal, out to the Westbrook line in the Stroudwater area. Currently a member of the Deering Center Neighborhood Association, and a Deacon at Central Square Baptist Church, Anne also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gorham Savings Bank.
She and her husband, Lou, enjoy their summer camp at Panther Pond in Raymond, spending time with all their grandchildren, and embrace an active lifestyle that includes hunting and fishing, and dancing to great county music.
Rep. Haskell will serve on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and on the Labor Committee. As one of only two women serving on Labor Committee, she is vitally interested in assuring women's voices are heard on issues that impact them such as minimum wage, working conditions, etc.
This session, Rep. Haskell will be focused on issues of vital importance to Portland residents including tax fairness, education excellence, healthcare access, a strong economy and a healthy environment. Having served in the legislature during the late 80's and early 90's, Rep. Haskell is very focused on maintaining the improvements made in the Juvenile Justice system, assuring that programs are outcome-based, and are focused on rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.
This term, Rep. Haskell will be sponsoring a variety of bills of interest to the voters in Portland including one to help preserve the Portland Fish Exchange. In addition, she is sponsoring bills on higher education funding, fire safety, equity for social security recipients in the worker's compensation system, and an alternative approach to helping low-income residents afford rental security deposits
