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Property Tax Relief
Maine homeowners and farmers are being taxed out of the communities their families built. Zach will fight to rein in state spending that drives up local property tax burdens and push for meaningful relief for working families.
Property taxes in rural Maine have become an existential threat for longtime residents, retirees on fixed incomes, and multi-generational farm families. As a Levant selectman, Zach has seen firsthand how state mandates and spending decisions trickle down to force painful increases at the local level. In Augusta, he will advocate for reducing unfunded mandates on municipalities, reforming the state's revenue sharing model to actually deliver for small towns, and exploring expanded homestead exemptions so that Maine people can afford to stay in the homes they've worked for.
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Supporting Maine's Rural Economy
Penobscot County's economy is built on agriculture, forestry, trades, and small business — not bureaucratic red tape. Zach will cut the regulatory burdens that make it harder for Maine people to earn a living.
Rural Maine doesn't need Augusta telling farmers how to farm or contractors how to build. Zach supports streamlining permitting processes, reducing licensing barriers for skilled tradespeople, and standing up against overreach from state agencies that impose costs on small businesses without understanding the local reality. He will champion policies that keep agricultural land productive, support Maine's logging and timber industries, and ensure that small business owners in District 4 can compete and grow without drowning in compliance costs.
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Fiscal Responsibility
Maine state government needs the same discipline Zach has applied managing Levant's municipal budget. He will oppose wasteful spending, fight for a balanced budget, and protect taxpayers from debt that burdens future generations.
As a selectman, Zach has had to make tough budget decisions while keeping taxes as low as possible for Levant residents. He will bring that same mentality to the Maine Senate — scrutinizing every line of the state budget, opposing pork and pet projects, and demanding accountability for how taxpayer money is spent. Zach believes government should live within its means, just like the families it serves. He will resist efforts to expand government programs that Maine cannot sustainably fund and push for transparency in all state spending.
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Second Amendment Rights
Zach Wood is an unwavering defender of the Second Amendment and the right of Maine people to keep and bear arms. He will oppose any legislation that infringes on law-abiding citizens' gun rights.
In rural Maine, firearms are a part of life — for hunting, for protecting family and property, and as a fundamental constitutional right. Zach will stand firmly against any red flag laws, magazine restrictions, or registration schemes that target responsible gun owners while doing nothing to address crime. He believes the solution to public safety is enforcing existing laws and addressing root causes — not punishing law-abiding Mainers. Zach will be a reliable vote against any anti-Second Amendment legislation that comes before the Maine Senate.
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Energy Affordability & Independence
Maine families are paying some of the highest energy costs in the nation. Zach will oppose energy mandates that drive up costs and push for policies that keep heating and electricity affordable for working households.
Heating a home in Penobscot County through a Maine winter is not a luxury — it's a necessity. Yet state energy mandates, restrictions on fossil fuels, and poorly designed green energy policies are making it harder and more expensive for families to stay warm. Zach will oppose mandates that force costly conversions on homeowners and businesses before affordable alternatives actually exist, support Maine's logging industry as a source of sustainable biomass heating, and fight to keep energy choices in the hands of consumers rather than Augusta bureaucrats.
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Local Control & Community Values
Decisions about Penobscot County communities should be made by the people who live in them — not handed down from Augusta or Washington. Zach will fight to return power to local governments and protect Maine's traditional way of life.
Zach's entire public service career has been at the local level, and he has deep respect for the principle that towns and cities know their own needs better than any state agency. He will push back against top-down mandates that strip local governments of their authority, whether on land use, education, or public safety. Zach also believes in protecting the rural character, hunting and fishing traditions, and community values that make life in District 4 worth fighting for. He will be a senator who remembers where he came from and who he works for.