2 years ago
AUGUSTA (NEWS CENTER) -- Two years ago, the Brookings Institution released a report on Maine's economy. State government seized on the recommendations and started making changes. Friday, one of the authors of the report came back to give a report card on how Maine is doing. Bruce Katz from the Brookings Institution says some of the big pieces of the report have started to come to life. Maine voters passed a $55 million bond last year for investment in research and development to spur the economy and create new jobs. There have been steps to preserve communities, like tax credits for redeveloping old buildings. Other developments have been a statewide building and energy code and some major efforts to streamline state government -- such as the controversial school district consolidation. The Brookings report has had a big impact on the debate here at the state house. Two years later candidates from both parties are still talking about Brookings as they campaign for reelection. Bruce Katz told the crowd at the Grow Smart Maine forum that the work needs to continue. "To weed out inefficiencies, to balance the budget in the short term, but also to free up resources to invest in things that matter." He says Maine needs to make more investment in research and development to grow new jobs. Karen Mills, spearheaded the first R&D effort, and says it's a smart investment. "When we have that process in place, we get some of the world class technologies we have here. Those are going to need the next level of investment and then they will bring jobs to the state." And Grow Smart is about to start on phase two --- a plan on how to restructure government -- state, county and local. They hope the report will create more energy for changes --- and inspire the same kind of effort they've seen so far.
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