by Dana Connors

We also are hard at work planning our October 27 annual meeting and dinner, which will take place in Portland. The event includes a live televised gubernatorial debate in partnership with News Center Maine. As it has in the past, the gubernatorial forum provides an excellent opportunity for Chamber members and the public to hear directly from the candidates for governor what their views and priorities are to grow Maine’s economy. With the challenges Maine and the nation are facing today - including the labor shortage, inflation, supply chain issues, and more – our next governor’s plans to support Maine’s business community are more important than ever.

In addition to our advocacy agenda and events, we also continue to share via our online streaming program, The Maine Take, and our podcast, The Bottom Line, in-depth conversations on the issues, ideas, and initiatives that are at work in our state. Please keep an eye out for each episode of The Maine Take and The Bottom Line. It is important to us to continue to communicate with you, our members, on the issues that matter to you and Maine’s business community at-large. These platforms also are important to widely share the business perspective on many of the top issues and challenges in our state, along with the ideas that seek to address them. 

As my tenure as President of the Maine State Chamber begins to near its conclusion, and with a new president to be named in the coming weeks, I’d like to express my long-held appreciation for your membership and support. As always, it is a pleasure for me and the entire Chamber team to serve you!

Election season is upon us and in anticipation of the next legislative session, the Maine State Chamber continues working hard to lay the foundation for the upcoming session. January will be here before we know it, and as I mentioned in our August newsletter, the Chamber’s Advocacy Team is working with our policy committees to firm up a proactive agenda and business-friendly proposals for the incoming Legislature that aim to grow and strengthen Maine’s economy and competitiveness. 

AUGUSTA, Maine (Tuesday, September 20, 2022) - Maine’s largest business association, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, announced today that it is joining the Maine Affordable Energy Coalition to oppose a takeover of the state’s investor-owned electric utilities and creation of a government-run power authority.