Democratic state Rep. Sarah Peake (4 th Barnstable District) and her Republican challenger, Don Howell, faced off in a robust debate Monday night sponsored by the Cape Cod League of Women Voters, addressing a wide range of topics that affect Cape Codders. But the evening’s discussion, held at Nauset Regional Middle School in Orleans, kept coming back to – what else? The economy. Peake, who lives in Provincetown and is completing her first term in the House, said her work in the state Legislature brought funds back to the region to help combat the souring economic situation. “I would absolutely agree that it is the economy,” said Howell, a former Harwich selectman and current Harwich resident. “But this is where we take the fork in the road.” While Peake said that the state should invest in local communities to ensure a robust economy, Howell said that what the commonwealth needs is lower taxes and less regulation. A former small business owner, Howell said the bureaucracy and overwhelming permits and paperwork facing local businesses drains their ability to succeed. The taxes they face are also a drag on the local and state economy, he said. “When you don’t have a tax it’s like getting a pay increase,” said Howell. Peake said she helped secure almost $1 million in state funds to keep the Flex bus operating, and continues to work to bring broadband service to the Cape in a bid to lure high tech businesses to the region. Peake said ...
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