Welcome from our Board Chair

Maine is a beautiful, clean and safe state in which to live, work and raise a family. However, our Legislature has failed where the prosperity of our people and Maine business is concerned. When compared to nearly every other state in the nation, Maine is at or near the bottom of critical economic measures over which the Maine Legislature has a real, direct and lasting impact. So what has to be done?

Here are the benchmarks and outcomes we see as reasonable and achievable:

Taxation & Spending
The Maine Legislature must move Maine’s tax burden to the national average from its current 15th position. To reduce that tax burden, the Maine Legislature has to say “no” to net new spending and adopt policies that encourage private sector growth, the source of lasting prosperity for all Maine people. (Data Source: Tax Foundation)

Higher Education

Half of Maine students leave the state after college graduation to seek career opportunities (2006 Silvernail Report). While the normal metric for our public colleges and universities is the graduation rate, we believe the metric must also include securing a job in Maine. Otherwise, our students become our most valuable and publicly subsidized export. In addition, our public universities and colleges need a larger share of the state budget for employment-focused education that will grow our indigenous industries.

Health Care Costs

Maine's health care costs need to reach the national average for people to prosper and for Maine businesses to be competitive. Maine’s cost of health care is #2 in the United States according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Maine’s health insurance costs in the open market are more than twice that of New Hampshire for individuals and nearly twice the amount for families. Political choices by past Legislatures have contributed to the disparity but they can be corrected. (Data Source: Kaiser Family Foundation, MDF/Maine Economic Growth Council, Anthem.com)

Energy Costs

The cost of energy in Maine is in the top 3rd highest in the nation. Much of that cost is due to public policy decisions of the past 30 years. We need to change policies and strive for affordable energy independence by encouraging the development of renewable energy resources. Affordable, dependable energy will help attract capital-intensive investments and the jobs that go with it. (Data source: Maine Public Spending Research Group)

Government Growth

Government jobs should not grow at a faster rate or have substantially better benefits than those in the private sector. The average salary of a Maine state employee is $46,000 with additional benefits that are 42% of their salary. Maine businesses cannot afford to fund a disproportionately large and growing public sector. It simply is not sustainable. 

( For more information on state employee salaries and benefits, go to www.maineopengov.org )

Commerce

In setting spending priorities, Maine Legislators need to support bonds and legislation that encourage commerce: building a skilled workforce, research & development, transportation, telecommunications and private investment. These are areas in which government can make a critical and effective difference across the entire state. It's simply a matter of setting priorities.

That's how we'll achieve lasting prosperity and participate with the majority of other states in an expanding economy.

Please, join us in our mission to help our great state. We look forward to your input, involvement. and financial support.

Rich Merk
Chairman of the Board
Alliance for Maine’s Future

President
Maine Quality Homes