Prepare Bangor for role in new century

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The economic purpose of local government is to insure an environment in which private investment can take place to provide quality jobs to its citizens. Quality jobs are the fruits of economic progress. As the Bangor community prepares for the 21st century, just 38 months away, Bangor must have a common vision and the policies needed to create and promote a sustainable community. This effort requires agreeing on a mission which is fundamentally a partnership with other stakeholders that is customer driven, unique, builds upon the community’s strengths, and is flexible.

Stakeholders made up of business and industry, labor, education, health care and others must actively participate in this effort. The community must value trust and mutual respect of the business that are the engines of the economy. The community must act now.

In that regard, I am offering the following 20 specific efforts that I will make a top priority if elected to the Bangor City Council:

Tax, fiscal and regulatory policies:

Bangor must have a five-year plan that stabilizes or reduces the property tax rate. The goal is to increase revenue for municipal services by increasing investment. A stable tax rate is appealing to investors who can plan on what to spend and to homeowners who see less of their resources taxed.

Bangor must have a regulatory policy that provides local approvals in a timely fashion. I would work to develop “pre-approved” or “certified” sites for specific related investments as part of Bangor’s menu of services.

Bangor must establish a policy for the utilization of tax increment financing as an incentive for investment.

Community assets:

Bangor must establish an accelerated capital improvement plan that maintains existing public facilities such as water and sewer and seeks innovative ways to finance new facilities.

Bangor must view telecommunications as a critical component of infrastructure and develop a partnership with a “telecommunications provider” to connect the community. Bangor cannot afford to be a “have not” community.

Bangor must update its land use comprehensive plan to insure that it is compatible with the community’s quality of life and the market opportunities of the next decade.

International:

Bangor must develop a sister-city relationship with a community of similar scope which fosters trade and cultural exchanges, as an example of the opportunity of a global marketplace.

Bangor must develop a strategy that “captures” the opportunity for international flights to Bangor International Airport leading to increased tourist visibility as an international city.

Bangor should act as host city to an Atlantic Rim Conference made up of European countries, Canada and eastern seaboard states.

Education:

Bangor’s school system, its teachers, administrators and students, must be “technologically empowered” and active designers of a curriculum that meets the challenges of the 21st century while building on the strengths of the local economy.

Bangor must capitalize on the strength of its highly successful K-12 system and the university, Eastern Maine Technical College and Husson College by creating a higher education council that develops a common mission of providing the education and training necessary for employees and employers to advance.

Small business:

Bangor must expand its “incubator” facilities to provide marketing, financial and support services to new small businesses. The incubator must move from one of low cost space to a facility that graduates new expanding businesses to the community’s other industrial sites.

Bangor must continue to make available local and regional capital funds to new and expanding businesses.

Bangor as a regional center must identify suppliers and vendors as prospects for investment.

Partnerships:

Bangor must assume its appropriate role in the development of the regional economy by establishing meaningful and productive discussions with area communities on appropriate efforts for regional growth.

Bangor as a city government must enthusiastically support the Maine Partnership Project.

Jobs and Economic Development Efforts:

Bangor must develop and support a targeted, focused strategic plan and accompanying marketing strategy that builds on the community’s strenghs and is executed with vigor and results.

Bangor’s industrial parks, business-office parks and the downtown area must have specific strategic plans that compliment each other and support the overall plan.

Bangor must establish a Just-In-Time economic development system that provides quality research, information and data to potential investment prospects.

Bangor must establish an economic development “hotline.”

Local government must ensure an environment in which the private-sector investment can take place to provide quality jobs. Bangor must establish today the vision and policies that are needed to create and promote sustainable economic growth for our community.

Michael Aube is the former commissioner of the Department of Community and Economic Development and a candidate for Bangor City Council.