Maine: Closed for Business

Since his inauguration, Governor Paul LePage has claimed his goal is to make Maine “open for business.”

In fact, when crossing the N.H. – Maine border on Interstate 95, a sign with those exact words greets you.

Welcome to Maine, the way life should be: Open for Business.

So why has LePage made a decision that quite literally blocks an opportunity for five new businesses to open their doors in Norway?

The Norway Opera House project, a $1.1 million renovation of Norway’s central downtown landmark is now in serious jeopardy because LePage has decided that the debt incurred from the $400,000 grant to resuscitate the building, approved by the state and signed into a contract with Norway town government is an unnecessary burden on Maine taxpayers.

In mid-June, the Governor said he would refuse to sign $40 million in state bonds – including a $25 million bond package that includes funding for the grant to the Opera House.

LePage has made this decision despite the fact  the bond package was approved by Maine voters in 2010.

Yet again, LePage has made an aggressive unilateral decision primarily to satisfy his personal ideological bent – without a full appreciation of the consequences his decision would have across the state.

If the Opera House is renovated it will offer space for five new businesses, hopefully stimulating the local economy, enabling existing businesses to gain financial health and giving Norway downtown a much-needed facelift.

This will never happen if LePage’s bond freeze continues: the tax credits the Opera House is eligible for will run out within a matter of months and there is every possibility that the project will be sunk.

Projects in 11 Maine towns aimed at rehabilitating crumbling downtowns and improving local economies are in a similar situation because of LePage’s decision – they are either stalled or run the risk of never being completed.

LePage is concerned about our state’s debt. He says that authorizing the bonds would be fiscally irresponsible at a time when Maine already pays $100 million a year to service pre-existing debt.

It is equally irresponsible to pull the rug out from underneath Maine communities that are trying to survive by improving the local economy and repairing historic downtowns.

But that is exactly what the incredibly short-sighted governor has done against taxpayer wishes.

We can only hope the governor recognizes how damaging his decision will be to Norway and other towns struggling under the weight of a depressed economy and faltering downtowns.

Projects like the Norway Opera House could be game-changers for these towns – improving the economy, creating employment and giving communities a renewed sense of pride in their downtowns.

We hope the governor can recognize that – and demonstrate his recognition by issuing the bonds and letting these projects finally move forward ... soon. For Norway, the tax credit clock is ticking.