(D-Chapman)
As a member of the Legislature’s Education Committee and a former college administrator, I am familiar with the complaints from recent college grads that, as much as they would love to live in Maine, they cannot afford to live here. This complaint breaks down into two separate but related problems: 1) College costs keep going up, so students have to take out more loans, and 2) jobs in Maine, traditionally in the areas of farming, forestry, fishing and manufacturing, but now moving into the service industries just don’t pay enough.
Maine Democrats have long recognized that you cannot build a strong economy without an educated and diverse workforce. We also know that such a workforce is attracted to areas that have strong economies. As a party, the Democrats took steps during the 123rd Legislative session to build Maine’s economy and to make Maine more attractive for both students and businesses.
Because we heard from constituents that higher education needs to be both more accessible and more affordable in Maine, we included financial support in the budget for Maine’s colleges and universities that will help contain tuition hikes. Keeping tuition down means lowering student debt. We also provided funding to increase enrollment capacity at community colleges – more students can now enroll at community colleges to study a career field, earn transfer credits or gain job skills. Many students are able to save money by living at home while they attend a local community college. A great number of students go to college immediately after high school, but do not know in which program they want to major. The lower tuition at a community college allows students to explore some options, earn affordable credits and then transfer to the university if they’re seeking a bachelor’s degree.
In 2007, we presented Maine citizens with a bond package that provides millions of dollars to schools for upgrading infrastructure. Maine people approved the bond package, and the money will be used to provide access to better technology in university labs and classrooms throughout the state. Finally, my Democratic colleagues and I worked with students and college officials to establish the Opportunity Maine program, which provides a tax credit to Maine college graduates who live and work in Maine. Living and working in Maine after graduating from a Maine institution of higher education will actually help students pay off their school loans.
Many for-profit student lenders have been forced out of the market by the national credit crunch and federal rule changes, so we made it a legislative priority to ensure that students have a choice in their funding options. The Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), a non-profit group that was established to provide financial solutions for Maine businesses and education, will be able to work with their current lending partners in Maine and will also be able to step in if lenders leave the market.
But making higher education more accessible and more affordable will not solve the whole problem. A stronger economy requires a stronger job market for our college graduates. Maine voters approved a research and development bond package in 2007 that will allow for $55 million to be invested in Maine businesses. It also triggers an additional $50 million in matching funds for a total of over $100 million being invested in research and development in Maine.
These investments, coupled with Maine’s emergence as a leader in renewable energy technology, for example, has already begun to attract more business ventures from other states. Wind farm proposals in western Maine, tidal power off the coast, and geothermal and solar heating systems in homes and businesses are all parts of a massive shift away from dependence on oil. As we see more businesses move to Maine to be part of Maine’s green economy, we will also see an increase in the need for scientists, biologists and other college-educated professionals who can move this innovation forward.
Just this year, we passed legislation that boosts road and bridge repairs, reduces the cost of health care and expands tax credits for restoring historic buildings. The Legislature also expanded a low interest loan program, which now allows consumers to save on energy costs by installing clean energy geothermal heating units. In addition, we adopted a wind power task force to streamline and standardize the process for wind farm development throughout the state. Improved efficiency not only creates jobs for Mainers, but will also save hundreds of millions of dollars each year.
The cost of college and Maine’s limited job market have historically created a circular pattern from which it is difficult to break free. In the next few years, we will see something wholly different in the way we utilize Maine’s natural resources and the opportunities for Maine students. The result will be new economic prosperity.
