Blogs

I recently wrote about the steep declines in the number of visitors to the North Maine Woods that took part in “nature tourism”. Another alarm was sounded last week when the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife sent a press release announcing that the “Chickadee Checkoff” was in danger of losing its place on the Maine income tax form. The checkoff supports the non game wildlife work of the Fish and Wildlife Department and now generates less than $25,000 annually. Keep in mind that there are individual guides responsible for license sales greater than that.

Yesterday was our annual Governor’s Conference at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, as always it was a great learning opportunity and I walked away with plenty to think about.

The Maine Legislature has a committee to review workforce development this spring. A laudable goal but one that completely misses the mark. Here is a news flash there are no big businesses dying to come here and employ hundreds of our workers. To compete for those will take tax incentives and spending we simply can’t afford. How about supporting the small independent businesses that are our current reality and best hope for the future? Farmers, artists, programmers, wood cutters, café and shop owners even guides.