President's Message: “Mapping the road ahead…”

by Dana Connors

As Labor Day nears, summer feels more fleeting, and enjoying it feels more urgent and more necessary. Soon enough, we’ll return to the pace of the election season and then the legislative session. By then, Maine’s summertime will be a cherished memory.

However, as much as we enjoy the summer tourist season in Maine, it is also the time where we begin laying some of the foundations for the upcoming legislative session. While our public policy committees are developing their priorities and researching key public policy trends in other states, a special board subcommittee is learning more about Maine’s referendum process. Building this solid foundation now allows us to submit proactive and business-friendly legislation to policymakers when they convene in December.

Along that vein, our recently released Making Maine Work report also serves as a road map for improving Maine’s economy and for educating Maine voters. The series is designed to highlight the insights of Maine’s business leaders on economic development issues in Maine. The 2022 edition is the eighth report of the series, and the third completed in a Maine gubernatorial election year.

In the coming months, we hope you use this report as an outline to discuss the critical issues with your local legislative candidates. In late October, we’ll use it as a metric as we learn more what the candidates for governor have planned. You’ll hear directly from them on Thursday, October 28 during our 2022 Annual Dinner and Gubernatorial Debate.

There’s a lot brewing here at the Maine State Chamber. Amid all the preparations, we’re hoping to carve out some time for a bit of summer fun too – and encourage you to do the same!