AUGUSTA – Speaking Thursday to more than 400 members of the Maine Development Foundation, Gov. John E. Baldacci highlighted the administration’s business accomplishments and urged state leaders to oppose fall ballot initiatives he claimed could jeopardize the state’s economy.

“We are continually challenged by the perception sometimes that it’s not easy to do business in Maine,” Baldacci said. “We’ve tried to eliminate those perceptions and [tear down] those walls, working with companies and individuals to get them to take a second look at the state.”

As members of the MDF gathered at the Augusta Civic Center for their 25th annual meeting, Baldacci explained how his administration was confronted with major crises since first taking office in January. Budget shortfalls and unanticipated changes in federal reimbursement policies were followed by potential private sector disasters in northern and eastern Maine’s forest products industry.

“We’ve worked hard at Great Northern Paper Company to get it reconstituted and we’re not finished,” he said. “We want to draw in more business development and manufacturing in our state. That’s why we worked with Georgia-Pacific in Old Town when they said they wanted to shut down their paper mill. I didn’t want to lose any jobs.”

Baldacci said the administration is also dedicated to creating alternative energy options such as the proposed wind power generation station at Mars Hill.

By encouraging the development and production of the windmills, the governor is convinced that General Electric power systems will construct the wind turbines in Maine.

“We’ve got a talented, dedicated work force in the state that already has those skills and we need to work with them and get them to work so they can be productive and we can be productive as a state,” he said.

The governor urged the MDF members to join him in promoting his fall bond package and tax relief proposal on the fall ballot. He also asked them to oppose gambling initiatives such as the proposed tribal casino and slot machine questions at Bangor Historic Track and Scarborough Downs.

“Send a strong message in November to make sure that people realize we can better serve people through available resources or reduced resources,” he said.

“While I appreciate the efforts of the [Maine Municipal Association] in recognizing the need for action, we cannot afford the plan that’s been put forward. And I believe we can do better than build a gambling casino in Maine. Gambling does not represent the vision of Maine as a place to live, work and raise a family that we want to market.”

The Maine Development Foundation was created in 1978 as a private nonprofit corporation to promote Maine’s economy. The organization awarded its 2003 Kenneth M. Curtis Leadership Maine award to Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe, a Portland Democrat who formerly served as speaker of the Maine House of Representatives.