The following speech was delivered at the Maine Tourism Association’s Gubernatorial Forum on 9/9/2010 at the Harraseeket Inn in Freeport.
I am delighted to be with you, here at the Haraseeket. This family-owned Inn sets a benchmark for Maine tourism. The Gray family – Nancy and Chip – have been exceeding guest expectations for years!
I have traversed Maine for more than a year, and I can tell you that Maine’s Number One industry is strong and vibrant and growing. Our next governor needs to help you grow stronger and bigger and better.
I have seen the enormous potential for our entire economy of a reliable 4-season industry.
I am convinced that we can tie tourism more closely to our burgeoning creative economy and to our places and towns of character and quality.
I have learned how urgently we need to educate and train young people to work in the tourism industry and help to build it.
And all it took was my trip down Route 175 to Castine or one of my rides up Route 15 from Guilford to Greenville to drive home the importance for tourism of paving our roads and fixing our bridges.
I know that we need to spend more money to develop and promote tourism. But right now our state is broke, and we have to fix that first.
I have not made any promises to any group anywhere in this state about more money, and I won’t do that today — because in good conscience I can’t.
Yet, you and I need to be partners from the beginning in jumpstarting and rebuilding Maine’s economy. So here is my ante, my good faith bargain with you –
First, the Cutler Administration will develop and sustain the Maine brand, one that embraces everything about Maine, from who we are to what we sell. It is one of our most important assets and competitive advantages.
Second, A centerpiece of the government restructuring plan that I proposed a few weeks ago is a new department in which we will consolidate the economic development functions that are now scattered all over state government. We will call it the Department of Commerce and Tourism.
Third, I have called for a longer school year as a part of my education reform proposal. I also think that in a state where tourism and hospitality is the number one industry, we should make every effort to start our school year after Labor Day, and I will try to make that change all across Maine.
Finally, I will give you the respect that you deserve as Maine’s number one industry. When I am Governor, you will have not just a friend in the Blaine House, you will have a tireless advocate and a staunch defender.
Let me tell you what that means.
I have heard my friend Paul LePage tell two recent forums that he is disappointed that tourism is our number one industry. He said that’s “unfortunate.”
Disappointed? Unfortunate?
Do you think, Paul, that the Town of Freeport or the 161 employees who work here – 102 fulltime – are “disappointed” with the Inn’s $4 million payroll?
Compare it with Marden’s, Paul. As Nancy Gray explained to the Legislature last year, here at this Inn there are only 4 minimum wage positions out of 161. The Haraseeket employees receive paid vacations and a $500 education stipend.
Like Marden’s, the Inn pays 75% of the cost of health, life and dental insurance. But at Marden’s, Paul, only 29% of Marden’s employees can afford their share; 80% of the Haraseeket employees can afford their share
The fact is, Paul, that every inn, every restaurant, every campground and every tourist destination in Maine helps to support the economy and their community’s schools.
And one more thing, Paul . . . Like most people who were there or read about it, I was appalled when I heard you tell a forum in Brewer last week that if you had been governor when President Obama and his family came to vacation in Maine, you would have told him to “get out of my state.”
Well, first of all, Paul, it’s not your state. Not now, not ever. Maine belongs to all of us.
When President Obama came here last month the hits on Maine’s tourism websites skyrocketed. And I’ll bet that Chris Fogg from the Bar Harbor Chamber would tell you that no amount of advertising could match the value of the nightly images on television news shows.
As far as I am concerned, any president of any party – Roosevelt or Eisenhower, Kennedy or Bush or Obama – any President who wants to come to Maine should be welcome – anytime and anyplace.
I respect the tourism industry and I value it. Maine is a better and stronger place because of you folks and your businesses. I’m proud of you and grateful for what you do. And I can’t wait to start working with you next year.