Governor’s R&D

Candidate Angus King was appalled while campaigning in 1994 that Maine ranked 43rd among states in federal research funding. He pledged to change that with a massive program of investment in R&D. Four years later, Maine ranks 49th in funding and his funding pledge has so far come to nothing. It’s not too late to change that.

“I will work to unleash the entrepreneurial character of Maine’s research and university communities,” candidate King said then, “by providing a 1:4 cash match for out-of-state research moneys that are secured for research relevant to Maine’s competitively advantageous industries, which include agriculture, aquaculture, biotechnology and life sciences, environmental, food processing, forest products and metal manufacturing and electronics.”

Had the governor actually carried this promise, Maine would be a far different place today. Researchers at the University of Maine could stop shelving good projects for lack of funding, businesses in northern and eastern Maine could be wondering how to apply new technology instead of how to apply for a second mortgage, new businesses could be looking for places to set up shop, the university could become more self-supporting and more attractive to students, international trade could increase. It is a wish list that eludes Maine because not enough people are convinced that this state has the talent and drive to turn seed dollars into a bountiful crop of jobs and opportunity.

Like so many successful first-time politicians, Gov. King found once in office that fulfilling promises was far more difficult than he had imagined. But the fact remains that the R&D investment remains a powerfully good idea that looks better all the time. Maine’s per-capita-income rank of 37th (and falling) compared with other states emphasizes how badly the state needs such an investment.

To get from the current meager spending for R&D to competing against successful states, Maine leaders will have to change their thinking. They need to stop being so timid that the university system ends up with only enough funding to cause the slightest of ripples in the economy. Stop concluding that Maine deserves less success than other states. Stop counting any kind of job as good enough. Instead, start seeing Maine in a national hunt for high-tech careers and development. Start having faith in the excellent researchers the state already has and trust that Maine’s other advantages will draw more — if research funding is available. Start believing that Maine’s future is something better than the direction it is going in now.

Leaders in the state senate — including Mark Lawrence, Mary Cathcart and Rick Bennett — have gotten the university system a small amount of research money this year. Voters will consider a bond in November that would give it more. But it is the governor himself who is in the best position to dramatically increase both the public awareness of the need for this funding and the dollar figure attached to it.

He was right in 1994. It would be a pleasure to see him carry out his idea now.