Businesspeople gather together to honor the achievements
of their peers.
LEWISTON – Fittingly, the attendance at the chamber’s annual meeting Thursday night was a record-breaker.
It was the latest achievement in a long line of accomplishments for the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce, whose members gathered 400 strong at the Ramada Inn to celebrate the business association and their successes.
Chamber Chairman Ron Lebel, who acted as emcee for the event, ticked off some of the year’s milestones, from its record breaking membership – 1,105 – to its $30,000 scholarship drive to its recently completed wage and benefit survey. The local attorney kept the tone of the evening light with his many jokes, some of which came at his own expense. After noting the exceptional leadership of women within the business community and chamber ranks, he acknowledged that he’d gotten the board chairmanship basically through affirmative action.
“This is what happens when gender equity trumps talent,” he said.
On a more serious note, he lauded the chamber’s staff and the leadership within the business community who make the local chamber a vocal and vital part of a resurgent economy.
“This chamber is a statewide leader in advancing policy that promotes economic development,” said Lebel.
Moments later, Gov. John Baldacci picked up a similar theme in his keynote address.
“This area led the state in terms of job development and economic development,” said Baldacci. “This place doesn’t take second place to anything.”
The governor also applauded the area for its long-standing collaboration between the cities, providing a model for regionalization of services that he’s made a priority in his administration.
“Lewiston-Auburn has led the way,” he said, in consolidating government and educational services.
The governor used the opportunity to promote some of his other initiatives – the statewide conference on the creative economy, which will happen in the Bates Mill this May; the elimination of the BETR tax on business equipment; the identification of Pine Tree Zones to jump start economic development; and the launch of the Dirigo health plan, which he said he hopes will help lower Maine’s 10th-in-the-nation ranking in health care costs.
But his speech wasn’t all about future hopes. Baldacci said a recent report revealed that 12,000 fewer young people are beginning to smoke – a testament to the effectiveness of the anti-smoking campaigns and the need to emphasize prevention when it comes to health care.
He saved tax reform for last. He urged both parties to work together to come up with a tax reform plan that will please the Maine Municipal Association and the Maine Education Association, yet offer real tax relief.
“Any spending increase must be tied to a spending reduction,” he said. “I’m committed to making sure our (tax) burden doesn’t increase. We are coming off the No. 1 perch because our per capita income has gone up, so now we’re more like fourth or fifth.”
“But we must press people in the Republican or Democratic party to come forward and ask ‘What’s the right thing to do’?”
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