Making Maine a Place to Stay
Let's strengthen Maine's economy
Maine – Not a Place to Stay… Yet
Maine is a beautiful state with a lot to offer residents and visitors alike. We have abundant natural resources, some of the best national parks and scenery in the country, and a welcoming population that prioritizes hard work and community..
Yet for all these advantages, Maine is a challenging place for young people to set down roots or pursue long-term professional careers. Our economy has suffered in recent years, driven in large part by a loss of foundational jobs in industries like forestry, fishing, construction, manufacturing, and transportation.
This has led to declining job opportunities for young people, making them turn to other states for better job prospects.
How to Bring People Back to Maine for Good
Although the above description characterizes Maine’s current economy, that doesn’t have to be the way things stay. Instead, we can bring people back to Maine for good by developing and enacting a strategic plan to grow our economy and incentivize the creation of foundational jobs.
Foundational jobs should be at the forefront of any successful strategic plan. Foundational jobs generate wealth for the economy, create jobs for people who live here, and help to make the state a more attractive place for families.
Furthermore, such foundational jobs provide valuable tax revenue for the state and local government, allowing it to support public safety, education, infrastructure and social programs. Through a combination of policies, laws, and economic initiatives, we can make Maine an attractive place for young professionals and families, as well as make it easier for people to start and run businesses even through periods of economic competitiveness.
Maine’s Past Could Be Its Future
This bright future harkens back to a past that many Maine residents fondly remember. For example, a book called “Maine: A Place to Live, Work, and Play” was published in the 1930s. That book illustrated many of the positive aspects of our beautiful, welcoming state, including its natural resources, gorgeous environments, and plentiful job opportunities.
Although Maine no longer ranks high for its economy or job opportunities, that could change with the right strategic plan and initiatives. In the future, there may very well be a book called “Maine: A Place to Live, Work, Play, and Stay”. You can help us achieve that future by joining the Alliance for Maine or by signing up for our newsletter today.