It’s been said so often, and challenged so rarely, that we accept it without question — Maine is a tough place to do business.

The complaint took on a new dimension last week when several business organizations told a state board the one thing Maine business owners fear most is the heavy hand of state regulation.

Chris Hall, senior vice president for the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, told the Maine Regulatory Fairness Board that his top priority would be to resolve the cultural clashes between regulators and the companies they regulate, according to the Dec. 12 Kennebec Journal,

The board, which advises the Legislature and governor on business issues, was gathering testimony in Augusta on possible changes to rules and regulations.

David Clough, of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, put an even more ominous face on the problem by saying some business owners are afraid to speak out because they fear regulatory retribution.

Hall recommended that Maine’s next governor establish “an office of
regulatory streamlining” to rid the state of duplicated paperwork and
overlapping regulations.

That’s an excellent idea.

But what’s really needed between now and then is some objective research. What are the best practices in other states? Which states have the most streamlined and effective regulatory processes? How do they do that?

There will always be some tension between businesses and regulators. We must encourage business, but the public interest must also be protected. When it is not, bad things — like the current banking crisis — happen.

And some issues just defy easy answers, witness the contentious four-year regulatory process that led to the final approval of Plum Creek’s plans for a massive development project in the Moosehead Lakes region.

What businesses need most are clear, fair and quick answers to everyday regulatory questions, not red tape, confusion and delay.

The recent hearings confirm we’re a long way from that.