I was a bit dismayed after reading the article summarizing my speech to the Chamber of Commerce the other day. I thought the tenor of the article was far more negative than either I or, I believe, the audience thought.

Yes, I did list a number of Maine’s disadvantages. I think realism in making business decisions is vital. I find that ignoring the facts we know so well is akin to burying our heads in the sand. You know the mantra well; taxes are too high, health care and worker’s comp costs are high, utility costs are high, on and on and on. While true, it is important to emphasize the positive benefits of living and working in Maine.

Many of us are still here trying to make a living, and enjoying ourselves in the process. How come? It comes down to why we live here. I have been fortunate to choose my work location based on where I wanted to live. The things that make up quality of life for me are employment possibilities, an abundance of scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, good schools and honest and hardworking people.

High salaries and low taxes are not high on my list. For some, these last two items are paramount, and I have no right to quibble with that. But, asked my opinion I would have to recommend that Maine might not be the place for them.

That said, change in the way of reduced costs is possible, but to limited degree. Some very real things limit reducing costs in this state. We have a small population spread over a very large land area. As the article pointed out I noted that Maine’s population was aging, and is, by and large, not equipped with the skills to compete in the high tech world we live in.

In closing, I will list the challenges that I set out for the members of the Chamber. I am not going to go into any detail both to save space and because I think they are self-explanatory. They are; in no particular order;

– Stop “bad-mouthing” the state

– Get involved

– Build and support the best educational system possible

– Be a cheerleader

– Support regionalization

– Value and empower your employees and

– Look to the future

I believe this is a start in the right direction if we work at implementing these recommendations. If we make progress with these. Maine will be a better and more prosperous and more affordable place to live in the future without losing our “quality of life.”

One note of clarification. While my office did put together the Tax Increment Financing application at the council’s direction, it is the Town Council that ultimately created the TIF District and determined the level of financial participation on the part of abutting landowners.

Harvey Rosenfeld

President, Scarborough Economic Development Corporation

Scarborough.