“In ____, we understand that high-tech companies don’t just happen overnight but are a product of forethought, sound vision and planning, and strategic investments by both the public and private sectors. Through our Emerging Technology Fund, we are bringing the best scientists and researchers to ____, attracting high-tech jobs and helping startup companies get off the ground faster.”
Given Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bond for research and development, you might think that quote was from a Democratic governor, maybe a strong liberal. If so, you were wrong. That was Republican Gov. Rick Perry, no liberal, touting the Texas Emerging Technology Fund as a path forward.
One Texas grant developed a medical monitor that uses wireless technology so medical providers can get continual information about patients. Lighter and smaller than other monitors, it attracted millions in matching funds and is being tested in the U.S. by a health insurance company and on battlefields by the Department of Defense.
Texas’s R&D program, funded with bonds and appropriations, is hardly unique. Virginia finances millions in its public-private Biotechnology Research Partnership Authority.
North Carolina’s effort flourished over decades of consistent effort. One hundred and seventy companies are located in the Research Triangle Park, employing 40,000 people. As North Carolina invested in R&D, its population became wealthier and more educated.
About fifteen years ago, a bipartisan group of Maine leaders realized that R&D is critical to the state’s future. After creating the Maine Economic Improvement Fund, which supports university-based research in seven areas, two state senators — Republican Rick Bennett and Democrat Mary Cathcart — led a Joint Select Committee to figure out how to increase research and development.
The Maine Technology Institute was founded in 1999, with leadership also from Carol Kontos, Richard Rosen, Jill Goldthwait and Steve Rowe, as well as then-Gov. Angus King and State Planning Office Director Evan Richert.
Bipartisan backing for MTI continued, with support from Gov. John Baldacci, legislators and the Maine people. In 2007-2008, another committee including Chris Rector and Emily Cain oversaw the creation of the Maine Technology Asset Fund to increase competition and evaluate return on investment.
Why has there been such strong support? Because research and development creates a solid path to the future, to higher wages and a more vibrant economy. MTI links public and private efforts, stresses the commercialization of research and technology and has funded 1,300 projects, with every dollar spent yielding $12 in non-MTI funding.
R&D creates new endeavors and industries and helps existing companies not only survive but thrive. The rising tide lifts communities, supporting agriculture, manufacturing, schools, the arts, nonprofits and small businesses.
LePage’s veto of the R&D bond abandoned this bipartisan consensus and vision of Maine’s future, as did some legislators’ votes, including the thirteen Republican House members who first voted for and then against the bond.
As Kent Peterson, president of Yarmouth’s Fluid Imaging Technologies, said, “It is regrettable that investments in the technology space by the State of Maine are being blocked given that investment returns from prior outlays have demonstrable benefits in terms of new, high-paying jobs and new company startups, both of which Maine desperately needs.”
Some wanted to block the bond because they think government shouldn’t be involved with these programs. But they overlook how long government has promoted economic development, all the way back to Hamilton’s 1791 Report on Manufactures. Others argue it’s best to cut regulations and taxes and then business will flourish. But that didn’t work on the national level. Maine’s debt load is not high compared to other states, and interest rates are historically low. Even if the issue is how MTI operates, that can be worked out while letting the bond go to the voters.
Maine’s future, if it is to be bright, will involve a more educated citizenry and robust research and development, along with good social policies, beautiful rural and downtown areas and our arts and heritages.
Perhaps the next time LePage sees Perry at the Republican Governors Association, the Texas chief executive can tell him what those programs have done for the Lone Star State. And maybe the Pine Tree State can re-establish its path to the future.
Amy Fried is a professor of political science at the University of Maine. You can follow her on Twitter at ASFried and at her blog, www.pollways.com.
In 2 years, LePage will be back in Florida.
I hope we can hang on until then.
Yessah
2 years won’t get here soon enough……
I do believe that Governor LePage is doing his utmost to make the State of Maine a 4th world nation. One where the citizens are more than happy to work for half what the rest of the nation is paid. One where there are no health benefits or worker safety protections. One where manufacturers can move in and polute to their hearts delight.
I get your point, but the “Fourth World” refers to nations with no boundaries, i.e. indigenous peoples, or cultural powers that cross political boundaries. I think you’re going for “Third World”, undeveloped/poorly developed nations with borders.
Do you really believe what you post or are you just a frustrated liberal not getting your way? Do you really believe hat LePage wants what you describe “One where there are no health benefits or worker safety protections. One where manufacturers can move in and polute to their hearts delight.”? Grow up!
I believe that his handlers want this. Governor LePage is nothing but a puppet to the people who are pulling his strings. Go visit Mexico or Haiti, this is the future that these people want to bring us to. Over the last 18 mos. of his stay in the Blaine house he has made it quite evident what his view of the citizens of Maine that don’t meet his socio-economic level of trust mean to him. He belittles and berates anyone with the temerity to disagree with him in the slightest. Thank god we haven’t given him the power of life and death over his subjects. He would make a terrific evil queen from ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Bruce Poliquin as the mad hatter. Or would that be one of the Charlies?
You and your post are irrational. You’ve personalized to a point that’s not healthy. You are no longer able to seperate a person from their policies or views.
Thank you doctor, how much do I owe you.
Typically my first consultation is gratis but if you feel compelled, please make a contribution to a veteran’s charity
I contripbuted 50 years ago.
I am sure the Tea Party Parrots will all line up to parrot that we are BROKE. Of course we weren’t so broke that we couldn’t come up with $300,000 plus for a study to determine if a private road was a good investment for private investors.
You forgot to add that the $300k is reimbursible to the State. If a private entity decides to invest in an E-W highway, first thing they have to do is repay the State. I believe that’s in the bill that the legislature passed.
Facts get in the way of hate.
The fact is that the legislature spent the $300,000. that you an and other parrots like you have been screaming we didn’t have. If we didn’t have it how could we spend it? And the reimbursement is only going to happen IF the road is built.
We haven’t had the State funds to support DHHS in the past. That’s what’s caused all the budget shortfalls. But the executive and legislature spent the money anyway. And they did it by shifting funds from other accounts and the rainy day fund. That’s why the rainy day fund is nearly depleted now.
and what happens if the ‘private entity’ does not decide to invest in the E-W highway? Does the state still get reimbursed?
How much does Texas owe its hospitals that it hasn’t paid?
But after fifteen years, where are the prosperous commercially viable technology companies and the hi-tech jobs? How much of the $12 in non-MTI funding ‘yielded’ for every MTI dollar spent is simply some other subsidy tapped into, with no real wealth created? Does the program really encourage industrial development, or just subsidy-mining?
Go to the MTI website and read about the scores of solid investments tbey have made. MTI has been an engine for innovation and commercial development.
I did. There may be a couple of companies making money – although the MTI website is awfully cagey about how much – but mostly ‘success’ seems to be measured in grants awarded or matched.
But who’s hiring, or who’s making a profit, or how much? That, they don’t say.
Well the grants do go to private companies so it is their decision about what info to share publicly. I have worked with many of these companies myself and they have most assuredly added a significant number of jobs. For those recipients of Development awards, MTIs largest grants, there are generally a minimum of half a dozen jobs created in the early stage commercialization. That program goes to companies that are preparing for commercialization. Once they sell the first dollar of product, they are on the hook to begin repaying their share of the award. It is not a give away, they are on the hook for a portion of the proceeds they receive. Once particular company I worked with DownEast hired five right away and have continued to grow since.
Fair enough, and I’ve no reason to doubt what you say. But anecdote is a poor substitute for data and it bothers me that no one is saying “this much was spent, this much was returned, these companies were founded, they have a payroll of this much….” In other words there’s no objective measure of the program’s success presented to the public, leading me to speculate that no objective measure of it exists at all.
I couldn’t find where a dime was ever repaid. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places.
I am sure the Gov of Maine and the Pres. are having a big Laugh about the MESS that our USA is in.And if you all watch its going to get a lot Worse before they are Done.
hmmm, BDN absent on Wisconsin results. Strangs days indeed.
Its in the politics section.
Gov. LePage is surely the greatest of all Maine Governors. This veto reflected his being a man of faith. What more could one ask? His re-election is guaranteed. God Bless our great leader.
ha ha ha hahahahahaha… you pretty funny…
What sort of governor would say this?
Only an Idioit!
The state has no business spending money on R&D when it still owes Maine hospitals $400 million. This is a pretty easy point to understand, yet Ms. Fried completlely ignores it. She is disappointed her pointy-headed intellectual friends in academia are denied their slush fund. Too bad.
Well done, Gov. LePage. Scott Walker’s win today should bolster your confidence that you and your team will be re-elected. Keep up the good, responsible, work!
The State of Maine already cannot pay its bills. I know of several businesses in Maine that are on the edge financially and most think that additional investments are all that they need to move their business forward and back to profitability. Problem is, the banks that they borrow from disagree. The banks have been hearing the same thing for years from these companies and the companies fail to change their ways. Maine has failed to change its ways and Paul LePage is wise to see this. Until we rein in our spending in this State and get our budget under control and return this State to fiscal sanity, bonds should be off the table.
As I understand it, the Texas economy is in far better shape than Maine’s. Get things under control in Maine, pay off all the debt owed hospitals – then maybe we should support something like this. Gov. LePage is doing exactly the right thing, and I fully support him!
Amy, you and the rest of the Orono parasite class just have to realize that it’s time to start weaning yourselves off nursing at the taxpayer mammary. And it’s about time, no more pork for professors.
Yeah, what do professors know? Give me a backwoods hick anyday… send his kids to work the counter at McD’s or and Irving station… good, solid employment…
no shame in working an Irving station, i manage one.
Absolutely not, as a starter job. I hope you pay your employees a living wage. If you pay minimum wage, folks wouldn’t be able to raise a family or do much else but squeak by… please don’t try to argue otherwise because it just ain’t so…
How much do you want to spend on gas so that the Irving employees get paid a “living wage”?
I can just see it now…20 oz cokes for $15.99, not $1.59.
Good luck with that…
hmmm… so you care more about how much you pay for your high fructose corn syrup drink than your neighbor’s ability to feed their kids…? Sounds about right, and much less of an exaggeration than your hyperbole. Seems you reactionaries have sold yourself to selfishness. The “me” generation…
‘Open for Business’……… not unless your Marden’s or a LePlague relative……pfffffffft.
‘Open for Business’…….not unless you are Marden’s or a LePage relative.
The democrats cannot have it both ways. They want Unaffordable Healtchcare fro everyone at the expense of a 2.3% excise tax on med devices who typically invest a ton of dough in R&D. This is already an established practice. Now they complain about this stuff. Incredible. Everyday must be a new unique day where we relearn everything when living in democrat world.
Understanding how government investment in R&D technology can help a state and it’s people requires non-linear thinking. The current administration has exhibited a real weakness in that area. I don’t hold much hope that this will change.
Note to Amy – Texas can afford to invest in R & D, Maine can’t. We have borrowed against our future for decades and guess how many jobs that R & D has brought to Maine? Companies want to go to places like Texas, because they have a great business climate: low taxes, low energy costs, limited regulation, hard workers. Maine has none of those. The governor is trying to make Maine more like Texas. Then we can invest in R & D.
But I am glad to see that you are extolling the virtues and wisdom of Rick Perry.
“…guess how many jobs that R & D has brought to Maine…” Having worked at Idexx for a number of years in the past, quite a few, several thousand actually… and relatively good paying jobs… if you can put up with the corporate culture bs…
Also, tidal alternative energy being successfully tested in a number of country from a company up in Washington County, and innovative composites being used in a number of products and manufacturing processes.
Man, some of you guys are soooooo negative when it comes to what Maine is doing… seems like you want things to be really bad so you can give LePage a chance to prove he isn’t a complete dolt… Maine ain’t Texas (thank god), you got that right, for all sorts of reasons that politics can’t do a thing about.
A BOND is a way to spend money we do not have! Those who think that the idea behind the bond is sound think again as if it was thew private sector would invest in it.