Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Tax Increment Financing Trends In Southern Maine 2001-2011, Kevin Price

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is an economic development tool authorized for use in 49 states and the District of Columbia. TIFs are a very popular economic development tool that allow for a low-cost way to fund development projects. A TIF is designed to turn an undesirable or underdeveloped area into a developed, revenue generating area. The restrictions as to the exact types of property that quality for TIF vary from state to state, but they generally are used to target underdeveloped areas to encourage growth. Maine places several limitations on TIFs including acreage caps, a value cap, a municipal indebtedness …

Economic Development Perspectives For Scarborough, Hayrullo Malikov, Bauyrzhan Bekenov

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

Over the last forty years, Scarborough has grown from a bedroom community to area commercial and retail center. Obviously, any development or changes in society cause positive and negative impacts on the community, environment, and business. For this reason, the economic growth experienced in Scarborough is an attractive topic in terms of highlighting its positive & negative impacts on local businesses, community and the environment. The purpose of this study is to understand the economic development process in Scarborough by examining the behaviors of certain categories of businesses which played important roles in this process.

Maine’S Technology Sectors And Clusters: Status And Strategy, Charles Colgan, Marianne Clark, Charles Lawton, James Damicis

Industry Studies

The concept of “clusters” has been a key idea in economic development in Maine and other states for more than a decade. In 2002, the Maine Science & Technology Foundation (MSTF) released a study of the cluster characteristics of the seven technology sectors that were designated as the focus of attention for Maine’s research and development support programs.

This study is a step towards implementing the Brookings Institution’s recommendations for an aggressive effort to build and expand clusters. It updates and expands the 2002 MSTF cluster report and also builds upon the work of Porter and others to identify distinctive …

Regionalizing Government In Maine: Opportunities For The Future, David Alexander, Alan Baldwin, John Carroll, Elizabeth Chapman, Dorraine Diebold, Lisa Harvey Mcpherson, Daniel Stevenson, Earlene Wilson

Muskie School Capstones and Dissertations

In keeping with his promise to make government work better for the people of Maine, Governor Angus King commissioned the Task Force on Regional Options for Better Government. The Governor charged the task force with recommending some alternative regional arrangements for the delivery of government services currently provided by state or local government. The task force evaluated three services in which regionalism offered some advantages: economic development; demand response transportation; and municipal management information systems.