Examining The Experiences Of Small, Independent Grocers During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jamie Picardy, Lisa Luken, Iris Michaud, Martha Lefebvre

Maine Policy Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed existing vulnerabilities across various sectors of the economy and society. Disruptions to the food chain have been common during the pandemic, resulting in empty shelves at grocery stores and modifications to consumer culture. Within this study, we examined resilience (characterized by flexibility, diversity, redundancy, adaptability, innovation, self-reliance and infrastructure) of small, independent grocery stores in Maine.

Maine’S Innovation Prospects: What The Research Can Tell Us, Linda Silka

Maine Policy Review

The innovation literature suggests Maine faces a number of challenges. This overview article discusses this literature, noting how recent findings about boundary spanning point to the importance of both individual skills and group collaboration in innovation. It highlights the implications for policies that could jumpstart innovation, noting the importance of looking to history, looking across topics, looking across disciplines, looking to other states, and looking to other countries to avoid becoming too short-sighted and parochial in approaches.

R&D: Cornerstone Of The Knowledge Economy, Evan Richert

Maine Policy Review

Maine has made progress toward achieving the goals set out 13 years ago in the State Planning Office’s publication “30 and 1000.” That publication projected that if 30 percent of the state’s adults had at least four-year degrees and if businesses, academia, and government were spending $1,000 per employed worker on research and development, Maine’s per capita income would reach the national average. The state still has a ways to go. Today it is estimated that the R&D threshold is about $1,600 per employed worker. Business will need to nearly double its effort to reach its share of the goal. …

The Distributional Effects Of Recent Changes To Maine’S Tax System, Joel Johnson

Maine Policy Review

Both classical economic theory and recent empirical research support the notion that taxes should be progressive: that the wealthiest citizens should pay a larger share of their income in taxes than the middle class, and the middle class should pay a larger share of their income in taxes than the poor. Like every other state in the U.S., Maine’s state and local tax system is not progressive, or even proportional with respect to income, but regressive. This article summarizes recent changes to income, sales, and property taxes that have made Maine’s state and local tax system more regressive.

Welcome To Portland; Now Let’S Eat, Hilary Nangle

Maine Policy Review

This case study describes how nationally-acclaimed chefs and restaurants and the farm-to-table movement have led to Portland, Maine becoming a major culinary tourism destination.

Economic Contribution Of Maine’S Food Industry, Todd M. Gabe, James C. Mcconnon Jr., Richard Kersbergen

Maine Policy Review

Using existing state and federal data and Maine IMPLAN, a state-of-the-art economic modeling system, the authors present an overview of the economic contributions of Maine’s food industry. This includes food makers (farms, fisheries, food-processing companies) and food sellers (grocery stores, direct sales, restaurants). Each play a unique, but interconnected, role in the Maine economy and add up to significant economic impact.

The Renaissance Of A Food-Based Economy In Skowhegan, Amber Lambke

Maine Policy Review

This case study discusses the example of Skowhegan, Maine, which is seeing the rebirth of a local food-based economy, focused on the development of a local grist mill and farmer’s market

Growing Maine’S Foodscape, Growing Maine’S Future, Laura Lindenfeld, Linda Silka

Maine Policy Review

Maine is experiencing a culinary renaissance. Creativity and entrepreneurship linked with culture and tradition are making Maine a food destination and a unique “foodscape.” Laura Lindenfeld and Linda Silka explore this convergence and its poten­tial to create jobs, protect assets, and support commu­nity values.

Micmac Farms: From Community Garden To Four-Season Farm And Retail Outlet, Jane Caulfield

Maine Policy Review

This short case study describes how Maine’s Micmac tribe is developing “Micmac Farms” from a community garden to a four-season agricultural business.

Putting Equity Back In Reverse Mortgages: Helping Seniors Retire With Dignity, Andrew C. Helman

Maine Policy Review

Policymakers can help some seniors age in place through policies to strengthen private-sector reverse mortgages. In reverse mortgages, individuals who may be “house rich but cash poor” can use their home’s equity to receive regular income or get money through a credit line. Andrew Helman argues that state legislatures can help seniors avoid the “tricks and traps” of reverse mortgages by estab­lishing programs in which lenders who agree to play by rules that ensure the safety and security of such mortgages are placed on a “preferred” list for seniors seeking a loan. He observes that laying the groundwork now can …

Investing In Maine’S Youngest Children Has Great Returns For Business, Dana F. Connors

Maine Policy Review

Dana F. Connors describes how the business commu­nity has become involved in the dialogue to help steer planning for investments in Maine’s youngest chil­dren. He acknowledges that there are high costs in failing to invest early and notes that creating skilled workers requires building the foundation in the first few years of the worker’s life. He stresses that high-quality early education and care are vital for both individual and statewide economic security.

Nature-Based Tourism In Maine: The State’S Role In Promoting A Strong Tourism Industry, Elizabeth Munding, John Daigle

Maine Policy Review

Tourism is Maine’s largest industry and, perhaps also, one of the least well understood and appreciated by the state’s citizens. Conventional wisdom suggests that tourism yields unwanted crowds and low-paying jobs. Yet closer analysis suggests that tourism does and has a yet-to-be-realized potential to enhance the well-being and sustainability of communities, particularly through high-quality, nature-based experiences that leverage Maine’s extraordinary landscapes, wilderness, and rural culture. Elizabeth Munding and John Daigle summarize what was learned as a result of Munding’s interviews with close to 50 tourism stakeholders throughout Maine. Although this study covered four major aspects of Maine’s tourism industry, here …

State Earned Income Tax Credits And “Making Work Pay”: How Maine Might Help Workers, Glenn Beamer

Maine Policy Review

Established in 1975, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) became the federal government’s largest antipoverty program for citizens under the age of 65 by the mid-1990s. In this article, Glenn Beamer gives a brief overview of how the program works and how states have piggybacked on the federal EITC to further assist their working poor. He observes that Maine’s EITC policy does not fully avail itself of potential returns and points to other states with policies that provide greater benefits for the working poor. He suggests that expanding Maine’s EITC not only would provide working Mainers with extra income, but …

Lurc’S Challenge: Managing Growth In Maine’S Unorganized Territories, Jerry Bley

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s Land Use Regulation commission (LURC) oversees an area covering roughly half the state. Plum Creek’s Moosehead Lake Concept Plan has brought LURC into the spotlight. Jerry Bley presents the history of this unique agency, the lands under its jurisdiction, how it has managed development, and what may lie ahead. In developing its Comprehensive Land Use Plan update, LURC needs to seek common ground for solutions that preserve the unique qualities of the area in its jurisdiction, while providing landowners opportunities to realize the financial values of their lands.

Maine’S State Parks: Their Value To Visitors And Contribution To The State Economy, Robert Roper, Charles E. Morris, Thomas Allen, Cindy Bastey

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s state parks are important to the social and economic well-being of the state, and provide public access to a variety of outdoor activities. In the study reported here, the authors find that visitors have a high level of satisfaction in Maine’s day-use parks, campgrounds and historic sites. Moreover, the overall impact of visitor-related park spending exceeds $30 million in income and 1,449 jobs annually. Nonetheless, the majority of Maine’s state parks suffer from long-deferred maintenance and are in immediate need of major capital improvements if they are to continue their vital role in supporting tourism and outdoor recreation.

Tax Policy And The Principles Underlying A “Good Tax”, Kenneth L. Nichols

Maine Policy Review

A “good tax”—can there be such a thing? Kenneth Nichols explores the principles for evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of taxes on income, consumption, and wealth. Contrary to common argument, Nichols points out, there is no “best” tax, but there are five interrelated criteria for evaluating taxes that, collectively, may be used to assess whether tax reform efforts are moving us closer to or further away from a better overall tax system for Maine.

Dirigo Health: A Small Business Perspective, Deborah Cook

Maine Policy Review

In her commentary Deborah Cook, executive director of the Maine Small Business Alliance, discusses Dirigo Health from the viewpoint of small businesses, whose employees and families, along with the self-employed, represent the largest proportion of uninsured in Maine’s population. She notes that rising costs of health care and insurance are a major threat to the viability of small businesses.

The Challenge Of Preserving And Expanding Affordable Health Care In Maine, Wendy Wolf

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s health care system is in crisis. The state’s health care expenditures represent the third highest percentage of Gross Domestic Product in the nation; state health care spending is projected to top $11 billion per year, or $8,291 per person per year, over the next seven years; businesses in Maine pay 12-23% more for coverage than the national and New England state averages; and, the state’s uninsured and vulnerable populations continue to grow. In this article, Wendy Wolf charts the rising cost of health care in Maine and the implications of these costs for all Mainers. In turn, she looks …

The Changing Nature Of Long-Term Care In Maine, Paul Saucier, Julie Fralich

Maine Policy Review

The increase in the proportion of older adults, many with one or more chronic medical conditions, will increase the demand for long-term care. Paul Saucier and Julie Fralich discuss the socio-demographic factors affecting long-term care policy, and describe various state and federal options for providing and financing long-term care. They note that Maine’s long-term care system has so far been able to absorb considerable growth in people by serving increasing numbers in lower-cost settings. Cost sharing has been introduced, and tax policy has been changed to provide incentives for long-term care insurance. Policymakers must now consider whether the current balance …

Getting Creative About Elderly Housing, Frank O’Hara

Maine Policy Review

In his commentary on Stephen Golant’s article in this issue, Frank O’Hara notes that Golant has very successfully identified the problems of some older homeowners. However, he suggests that the solution Golant proposes—government-assisted rental housing—may apply to only a few members of the group. Moreover, very little government-subsidized rental housing is being built or planned in Maine. Using Golant’s data, O’Hara extrapolates that affordability is the primary problem for older Maine homeowners. He notes that very few are interested in the public policy alternative that would best meet their needs, namely reverse mortgages. However, he observes that older Maine homeowners …

Government-Assisted Rental Accommodations: Should They Accommodate Homeowners With Unmet Needs?, Stephen M. Golant

Maine Policy Review

Stephen Golant, a national expert on elderly housing concerns, describes the types and seriousness of housing problems facing elders nationally and in Maine. Although older adults are predominantly homeowners, national policymakers often downplay the needs of this group and hand over responsibility to state and local governments. The author reviews arguments that cynics have offered for deemphasizing older homeowners’ needs, and discusses various solutions to meet those needs. He poses the question: Do we unrealistically romanticize aging in place? As the title of the article suggests, Golant proposes that a good solution to the needs of older homeowners is to …

Dirigo Health, Sharon Anglin Treat, Michael Brennan, Ann Woloson

Maine Policy Review

Maine’s pioneering Dirigo Health program aims at reducing health care costs, improving quality, and increasing access by providing health insurance coverage to all of Maine’s currently uninsured population. State senators Sharon Treat and Michael Brennan and co-author Ann Woloson provide an overview of the components, structure and financing of the program. They discuss some of the challenges and opportunities posed in Dirigo Health’s implementation, and give an insider’s perspective on the process by which the program was enacted.

Dirigo Health: Its Opportunities And Obstacles, Godfrey Wood

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Exceeding Expectation And The Knotty Question Of State Tourism Policy, Kathryn Hunt

Maine Policy Review

In the Margaret Chase Smith Essay, Kathryn Hunt reflects on Maine tourism policy, using as a springboard for discussion two recent events: the National Folk Festival held in Bangor and the Biathlon World Cup held at the Maine Winter Sports Center venue in Fort Kent.

Snowmobiling In Maine: Past Successes, Future Challenges, David Vail

Maine Policy Review

With one snowmobile registration for every 15 residents, Maine may well have the most snowmobiles per capita of any U.S. state. Moreover, the state’s 12,000-mile network of groomed trails and its 2,500-mile Interconnected Trail System make it a major winter tourist attraction. Still, as David Vail points out—and as the number of snowmobile-related deaths confirms—such progress has not come without costs and conflict. Although Vail argues the benefits outweigh the costs, he suggests Maine should act now to alleviate the conflicts related to congestion, over use of the state’s major trails, noise and air pollution, and free riding by non-dues-paying …

History + Resources = A Sense Of Place, Wendy Griswold

Maine Policy Review

Unlike many states, Maine has an unusually strong “sense of place,” or cultural regionalism. Wendy Griswold explores where this unusually strong sense comes from, and how it can be further nourished through literature. In doing so, she strengthens the argument for investments in cultural-heritage objects and activities as a means not only of reinforcing an already strong sense of identity among Mainers, but also of promoting Maine as a tourism destination.

Maine’S Investment Imperative, Laurie G. Lachance

Maine Policy Review

In the past two decades, Maine’s per capita income ranking has not topped 27th, and in recent years, the state’s relative position has dropped to 36th. More importantly, the gap between Maine and the United States has increased since 1990. In this article, Maine’s State Economist Laurie Lachance lays out a long-term investment strategy for Maine that focuses on education, research and development, comprehensive tax reform, greater efficiencies in the delivery of state and local services, and limits on government spending. Lachance argues that choices must be made even in times of fiscal crisis. Failure to invest means failure, period.

Certification And Labeling Of Forest Products: Will It Lead To More Environmentally Benign Forestry In Maine?, Mario F. Teisl, Stephanie Peavey, Kelly O’Brien

Maine Policy Review

From a supply and demand point of view, the trend toward forest-products certification appears simple: some retail consumers may prefer to buy products from forests managed in an environmentally sound way while some forest owners may be willing to alter their management practices in order to sell to these consumers. However, as the authors indicate, the issue of communicating to consumers the degree of “environmental good” being purchased can be complicated and may be a factor affecting the long-term success of certification programs. The authors present the results of a recent survey that assessed the use of two types of …

Housing Policies In Maine: A Historical Overview, Frank O’Hara

Maine Policy Review

Frank O’Hara traces the evolution of Maine’s housing policies from Maine’s settlement after the Revolutionary War to the current era, where concerns about sprawl and the preservation of communities have come to the fore. In doing so, O’Hara points out that the approach to housing has always reflected more than a desire to ensure every person has adequate shelter. Rather, it reflects core values and beliefs about society, our sense of beauty, and our relationship to the environment and one another. O’Hara urges policymakers to keep these broader constructs in mind when addressing Maine’s future housing needs. As history shows, …

Maine’S Future Housing Needs: An Mpr Interview With David Lakari, David Lakari

Maine Policy Review

Since 1994, David Lakari has been director and chair of the Maine State Housing Authority. The Maine State Housing Authority is an independent state agency and a $1.5 billion financial institution. Its mission is to help Maine’s low- and moderate-income citizens obtain and maintain decent, safe, and affordable housing and services suitable to their needs. In this interview, Lakari focuses on his concerns for the future, in particular, the need to find suitable housing options for one of Maine’s fastest-growing demographic groups—the middle-income elderly. While Maine has been doing a good job of building the capacity to house its wealthy …