As a resident of Lewiston, I have noted the closing of several businesses, yet I hear Gov. John Baldacci claiming, “People are the most important resource in my economic plan.” If we are, in fact, moving toward a “knowledge-based economy,” why do we invest in education and force that well-educated citizenry out of state by losing the jobs to put that education to work within Maine’s boundaries?

Making it possible for out-of-state investors to drive up local property values with clever marketing terms and non-Maine dollars is not a healthy choice if we are, in fact, investing in education. We must provide opportunities and incentives for Maine’s high school and college graduates to remain here when they become a part of the knowledge-based economy. Any other action demands that we change the word “investment” to “donation.”

While I applaud the governor for accentuating the positive, I call upon him and the rest of Maine’s citizens to keep in mind what we invest and what we get in return. Patting ourselves on the back won’t keep well-educated people in Maine for long.

Dan Quinlan, Lewiston