Maine Senate President Justin Alfond, of Portland, has claimed that the LePage administration is waging a “war on the poor.”
The fact that he’s the opposite – a member of one of Maine’s wealthiest families – helps him fight back.
Alfond is a grandson of the late Harold Alfond, the founder of Dexter Shoe Company, which his grandfather sold to Berkshire Hathaway for about $420 million in 1993.
Since the beginning of 2013, state records show Justin Alfond has given $58,523 in total to state and federal campaigns and committees, including $36,308 to the Maine Democratic State Committee and small amounts to the Democratic campaigns of hopefuls including Androscoggin County Sheriff Guy P. Desjardins and incumbent state Rep. Henry Beck, D-Waterville.
As Senate president, Alfond’s frequently been in headline-grabbing back-and-forths with the LePage administration over how to fund rural nursing homes, problems at DHHS, and MaineCare expansion.
He’s also co-chair of the Task Force to End Student Hunger, which is working on a proposal to address student hunger in Maine.
Alfond has supported the congressional campaigns of Shenna Bellows and Emily Cain, donating $2,960 to each. Alfond contributed $3,000 to the gubernatorial campaign of Michael Michaud.
He’s also given thousands to abortion rights and environmental groups, contributing $5,000 to Maine Conservation Voters Action Fund and $3,600 to Planned Parenthood Maine Action Fund PAC.
A native Mainer with ties to Dexter and Waterville, Alfond comes from the wealthy family whose name is on athletic facilities across the state.
Alfond earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Tulane University and then relocated to New York City.
There, he told Old Port Magazine, he became friends with Billy Wimsatt, of the League of Pissed Off Voters, who said he was looking to start chapters of the organization across the country.
Inspired, Alfond moved to Portland in 2004 to found the Maine chapter (the name was later changed to “League of Young Voters”) and led it for four years as the Maine state director, working on initiatives like Opportunity Maine, which worked to pass a tax credit that reimburses student loan payments for those who stay in Maine after earning an associate or bachelor’s degree at a Maine school.
In 2008, he decided to run for the state senate seat in Portland.
“No one in my family has run for political office or even been too political,” Alfond told Old Port Magazine. “It wasn’t something that I grew up doing in high school.”
His charitable work includes serving on the board of directors for the New England Board of Higher Education, the New England Secondary School Consortium, Avesta Housing, and Kennebec Valley Community College.
“I give to candidates and causes that I believe in to help make Maine a better place,” Alfond said. “Giving was instilled in me a long time ago by my grandfather and parents. I began giving before I was a public servant and I expect to continue long after.”
He’s also worked in real estate projects like affordable housing at 645 Congress St. in Portland and business ventures such as Bayside Bowl in Portland.
