LEWISTON – Mike Wascom is a man on the go.
He spent Tuesday touring the area with members of the Lewiston Auburn Economic Growth Council. Today, he returns to Washington, D.C., where he is the deputy assistant secretary for government affairs in the U.S. Department of Transportation.
As a federal transportation official, Wascom puts in a lot of miles. But what he saw in Lewiston-Auburn gave him pause.
“You’ve got the business community behind you, elected officials behind you and a focus on intermodal links that tie everything together,” said Wascom, ticking off the turnpike, municipal airport, Customs port, Foreign Trade Zone and rail service. “You’ve got the model for success here.”
Wascom said the cities are well-positioned to become a transportation and logistics hub for the Northeast, and that means economic growth for the entire region. As an example, he cited Wal-Mart’s decision to locate its distribution center here and the hundreds of jobs and the tax revenue it brought.
Wascom was the keynote speaker at the LAEGC annual meeting Tuesday at the Gray Athletic Building on Bates College. About 200 guests listened to Wascom outline some of President Bush’s transportation initiatives that could have benefits in Maine.
Among them is an effort to revamp Amtrak, which after 34 years and $29 billion is still in the red.
“Amtrak is dying,” said Wascom. “If it continues on this path, there is no hope of recovery.”
Part of Amtrak’s problem is its neglect of the Northeast corridor, which is its most lucrative market. Bush’s proposal introduces competition for rail service by proposing federal/state partnerships that share the costs of maintaining and operating rail service, but cede control to municipalities or regions.
He said a Maryland regional rail service provides transportation between Washington and Baltimore over the same tracks as Amtrak. But passengers pay $5 a ticket versus the $25 Amtrak charges.
“Competition allows for flexibility and creativity,” he said. It’s the key to improved passenger rail service throughout New England, where interest has proved strong, as evidenced by the Downeaster service between Portland and Boston.
Wascom’s remarks were preceded by an awards presentation and summary of the growth council’s achievements. Founded in 1981, the growth council has leveraged almost $70 million for local companies, which together employ about 14,000 people. Between 2002 and 2004 the LAEGC assisted 160 companies, and today it manages an asset base of $11 million.
The mayors from both cities jointly awarded a special recognition to Chip Morrison of the Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce for his leadership, which drew a standing ovation from the audience.
After accepting his plaque, Morrison told everyone to remain standing because everyone in the room was either a chamber member or an affiliate – a testament to the chamber’s strength.
“We succeed under one circumstance,” he said. “We succeed when our members succeed.”
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