While we are in the middle of another beautiful Maine summer, the economic forecast is not as sunny: Maine needs jobs. We’ve only recovered half the jobs lost during the recession while our New England neighbors have made a full recovery. Even the jobs we have created aren’t helping our entire state ”“ most of the jobs created in Maine in the last five years have centered around Portland, Lewiston and Bangor.
We need the successes of those cities to extend to the rest of the state so that opportunities for growth exist everywhere in Maine. Compared with the rest of the country, Maine is at the bottom of the pack for gross domestic product, jobs recovered and personal income growth. The result is that more Maine families are struggling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head. It is a tragedy that one in four Maine children now lives in poverty, and that while homelessness has dropped in the United States here in Maine it increased 26 percent.
We can do better and we must do better.
Many lawmakers in Augusta have been working across the aisle to strengthen our economy and create jobs. As the Senate Chair of the Legislature’s Workforce Committee, I’m proud of the bipartisan work we did to develop a small business bond to help small and midsize businesses expand and create jobs. With 93 percent of Maine businesses employing fewer than 50 people, supporting our small businesses is one of the best ways to grow our economy and create jobs.
Unfort-unately, my legislative colleagues on both sides of the aisle and I have not had a willing partner in the Blaine House. Actions speak louder than words and Gov. Paul LePage’s actions have repeatedly shown that he is more interested in getting his own way than helping our economy.
He vetoed a record 182 bills ”“ including the small business bond. While the Legislature successfully overrode his veto of that bond, more often than not Gov. LePage was a one-man roadblock to progress.
Last year, he went out of his way to cancel a deal with the Norwegian energy company, Statoil, that would have invested millions of dollars in our economy, created hundreds of jobs, and put Maine on the map for cutting edge renewable energy.
He has made it a habit to block voter-approved bonds, and even admitted to taking the bonds hostage to get what he wants from legislative leaders. As a result, we have been forced to delay critical infrastructure projects to improve Maine’s roads and bridges.
Even now that we are in the middle of construction season, there’s no telling when Gov. LePage might change his mind, again, and once again deny these investments.
This is no way to run a business, let alone a state.
If we’re going to create good-paying jobs and grow our economy we have to work together.
And it is not enough to create jobs in some parts of the state, or only for some age groups. We need an economy that works for everyone.
If we’re serious about creating jobs and strengthening our economy, we need to make more investments like the small business bond to support Maine workers and Maine businesses, we need to say yes to opportunities like Statoil, and we need to stop playing political games with our bond investments.
People in Maine have a long history of rolling up our sleeves and finding new ways to move forward. It’s time for Gov. LePage to join us, or at least stop blocking the way.
— Sen. Linda Valentino is a Democrat who represents the communities of Senate District 5: Buxton, Dayton, Old Orchard Beach, Saco and part of Biddeford. Her column appears on the second Monday of each month.
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