Baldacci foresees a ‘creative economy’

BAR HARBOR – Policy-makers in Maine must heed public opinion and win support for new policies and programs, Gov. John Baldacci told a crowd of economic developers from throughout the Northeast on Monday.

Speaking before 150 members of the 11-state Northeast Economic Developers Association, Baldacci praised the powerful bond between citizens and their elected leaders and urged officials to adopt Maine’s “bottom up” approach to public policy.

“People rule in Maine. In our state, people are going to weigh in … so you better get their support,” Baldacci said during a 25-minute speech at the Regency Hotel. “You can’t do it from the top down. It doesn’t work here.”

Baldacci did not mention one of the largest economic development proposals in recent Maine history, a $650 million resort casino in Sanford that backers say would create 5,000 good-paying jobs and another 5,000 spinoff jobs.

Maine people will decide in November whether to allow the state’s two largest Indian tribes to build the casino, which the governor vehemently opposes.

Neither did Baldacci mention another significant proposal that Mainers will decide in November: a citizen-driven referendum to lower local property taxes by forcing the state to pay 55 percent of kindergarten-through-12th-grade education costs and 100 percent of special education costs.

Baldacci opposes the Maine Municipal Association referendum, and has offered a competing ballot measure that would accomplish the same end, but not until 2010.

Baldacci credited local governments and regional economic development agencies with devising economic development plans for their own special areas. He said the state must help local groups achieve their goals because resources are limited.

He forecast that a “creative economy” that features the arts, music, natural resources, and software and graphic design would lure young people back to Maine.

“The state will draw the workers and the workers will draw the companies,” he said.

The governor also called for more diversification of the Maine economy and said he supports tax-incentive packages to attract businesses to depressed areas of the state.

NEDA spokesman Eric Anderson said the Bar Harbor conference is believed to be the best-attended in the group’s 47-year history.

Baldacci spoke without a written speech, referring only briefly from time to time to notes. He opened his remarks while looking out over Frenchman Bay with a gubernatorial-sized but understandable blooper: “Welcome to Bangor,” said Baldacci, a Queen City native.