Maine has long been a place where people could be themselves. Filled with farmers, fishermen, loggers, tradesmen, salesmen, bankers, business owners and movie stars, Maine is a place where many come to visit, and a few great people come to live. 

This is a tradition that we would like to see continued. Leadership comes from the few, and Maine should lead in all of the fields it participates in. There are some bright spots in the current bleakness of our economy. 

• Maine still holds 3 of the top 25 liberal arts colleges in the county

• Maine still has a growing tourism industry (>$15Bln in 20223)

• Maine has abundant tangible natural resources that are beneficial to many different industries (Marine industries, Wood products, Mineral products)

• Maine is one of the best places for work-life balance that includes different outdoor activities. You can be simultaneously less than a hour away from amazing mountain recreation, and amazing coastal activities.

Maine has been a Leader in the nation on cultural issues, on the right side of many "liberal" activities:

1. Statehood and Political Leadership: Maine became the 23rd state of the United States on March 15, 1820. Its constitution was progressive for its time, granting voting rights to men of European and African descent regardless of property ownership.

2. Abolition and Civil Rights: Maine was a stronghold for the abolitionist movement before the Civil War. The state was home to many prominent abolitionists and played a significant role in the Underground Railroad.

3. Environmental Conservation: Maine has been a leader in environmental conservation. The state has a long history of protecting its natural resources, including its vast forests and coastline.

4. Education: Maine has been at the forefront of educational reform. The state established one of the first public school systems in the United States and continues to prioritize education.

5. Healthcare: Maine has also led the nation in healthcare initiatives, including expanding access to healthcare services and promoting public health.

Maine has some significant challenges, not the least of which is a weakened identity. It is said that, unless you are born here, you can never really be a Mainer. This is less and less of a sought-after trait. While our State Heritage should never preclude people, or be a point of discrimination, being a "Mainer" should be a badge of honor one WANTs their kids to wear.

Our tax system disproportionately affects the poorest among us. While we have a progressive income tax system, the standard deduction is only 14,600/29,200 - Our base state tax rate of 5.3% kicks in after that. This means that you can be below the poverty line of $15,060 for an individual, and still be paying state income taxes.

While this doesn't appear to be much of a differential for the poverty line for an individual, it becomes a more significant issue as families grow, where the poverty line for an individual in Maine is at only $26,300, while federally it is at $31,200, and the estimate for a family of 4 to live in Maine is almost $75,000 per year.

Both the federal and state poverty numbers are not accurate to the cost of living in Maine, and our tax rates and deductions don't typically help that. Even ignoring the income taxes, because of the high cost of rent and mortgages in the state of Maine, and the taxes on goods that are not shown in income tax numbers, Mainer's are struggling to make ends meet.

This is in spite of only a 3% unemployment rate. There are still jobs available. This says nothing about the quality of those employees for the businesses hiring either, which is a challenge for both the employer and employee.

The one major standout takeaway from all of this, is that the issues in Maine are more complicated than at first glance, and to solve them, we need to have clear objectives.

1. Everyone who lives and works in Maine should be able to afford it.

2. Those who are impoverished should be incentivized to change their situation.

3. Government should not subsidize the capable.

4. Government should enable Charity to be done by Charities.

5. Government should be devoid of ideology.

6. Business should be allowed with as few restrictions as possible.

7. Business leadership should be held accountable for the business' impact on the community and individuals.