Like the rest of you, Nov. 4 will find me inside a polling booth, facing many decisions, many choices. Here’s a choice that will be easy to make: voting “yes” on bond Question 7.

In addition to the governor’s race, the U.S. Senate race and, in Portland, City Council and School Board races – in addition to all that and more, November’s ballot will feature bond questions asking Mainers to borrow money to support various programs.

The last of these, Question 7, may well be the biggest “no-brainer” of them all: a $7 million bond to “create jobs and improve the sustainability of the state’s marine economy.” Specifically, to boost capital infrastructure: buildings and fishing and aquaculture and processing equipment that can develop our maritime capacity.

The Growing Portland collaborative, which I manage, has three primary initiatives, one of which focuses on growing our marine economy. “Marine economy” means a lot more than lobsters. Here in Portland, for instance, you don’t have to look very far to notice:

Eimskip’s arrival at Portland’s International Marine Terminal, giving us year-round container shipping to Europe.

 The expansion of the International Marine Terminal, along with Portland Yacht Services, on the far side of the Casco Bay Bridge.

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 Dredging of the harbor so that fishing, lobster and pleasure boats can get in and out of the piers.

 Greater density and diversity along the water: retail, wholesale, business, restaurants and hotels.

 Scientific programming at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.

 New and different aquaculture products.

 More cruise ships coming to see our city.

 Improvements to Commercial Street (scheduled for 2015).

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 Agreements to allow Southern Maine Community College marine science students to continue their studies at the University of New England.

 And, yes, increased lobster-processing capacity on Maine State Pier.

I could go on, but you get the point.

Maine’s marine economy, of which Portland is only one portion, is the very essence of diversity. Add to the above list the globally significant studies at Bigelow Laboratory up in Boothbay, the research and education work at the University of Maine and Maine Maritime Academy – our state is abuzz with renewed attention to how we can learn from, and grow from, the Gulf of Maine.

This attention, this diversity, is only increasing. We’re seeing more businesses and more people employed in our marine economy – right now, about 26,000 jobs throughout the state. That’s about half a billion dollars in annual economic activity.

Most of the investments to spur the laundry list of activities above are coming from private businesses, from traditional maritime firms to cutting-edge innovators working in aquaculture, pharmaceuticals, composites and other future-focused sectors. Question 7 asks Maine voters to support those private investments with a relatively small investment on the public side. And by the way, that $7 million will then be matched by another $7 million in private and other funds – all of it dedicated to infrastructure.

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That’s important. Whether you’re talking about piers or buildings or equipment, our marine economy ultimately depends on built stuff. That’s how we study the waters, fish the waters, harvest what we’ve fished from the waters, protect the waters, enjoy the waters – it all happens in the real world, with real infrastructure all around us. Voting “yes” on 7 commits us to supporting growth through jobs and resources that will keep us strong.

Back in June, Growing Portland hosted an event you may have heard of: “Walk the Working Waterfront.” We invited residents and visitors to explore the businesses and byways of downtown Portland’s wharves. It was tremendously successful, with dozens of marine industry companies welcoming people in to see what they do, how they do it and what it means for our local economy.

Over and over again, I heard people remark that they “never knew” what happened down this wharf, or “always wanted” to visit that company. A “yes” vote on Question 7 means that we’ll be able to build up the infrastructure that will keep companies like these operating in Maine. And we’ll be able to further the science that keeps Maine at the forefront of critical marine research.

Sometime between now and Nov. 4, you’ll find yourself at the water’s edge in Portland, or Boothbay, or Searsport, or Biddeford. Look around at the buildings, the activity, the jobs. They’re much of what defines Maine, now and in the future. Vote “yes” on 7.

— Special to the Press Herald


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