‘Resolve, Directing the Maine Economic Growth Council To Develop the Maine Prosperity Action Plan of 2012’

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‘Preamble. Whereas,  per capita income in the other New England states is 38% higher than per capita income in Maine; and

Whereas,  numerous advisory groups have convened in recent years to assess Maine's policy environment, government systems and public sector costs, with the objective of creating a more prosperous Maine economy; and

Whereas,  the reports that have emerged from these efforts have been widely praised and overlap substantially in their recommendations; and

Whereas,  although these reports have informed ongoing work by legislative policy committees and have influenced legislation on certain issues, those reports have not been translated into a single, comprehensive, economically transformative and legislatively specific action plan; and

Whereas,  the Maine Economic Growth Council is a 19-member panel of established and trusted Maine leaders, appointed jointly over time by the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and empowered by statute to set the long-term plan for the sustainable economic development of Maine; and

Whereas,  the Maine Economic Growth Council appointees are established Maine leaders who have earned broad respect for their leadership, vision and commitment to Maine and have broad public credibility and a deep understanding of Maine's economic conditions, challenges and opportunities; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Development of Maine Prosperity Action Plan. Resolved: That the Maine Economic Growth Council, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 10, section 929-A and referred to in this resolve as "the council," shall develop the Maine Prosperity Action Plan, referred to in this resolve as "the plan," which must contain a comprehensive and specific action plan for a sustainable state economy. In developing the plan, the council shall undertake a thorough review of the proposals and recommendations contained in recent reports assessing the State's policy environment, government systems and public sector costs, with the objective of creating a more prosperous Maine economy. Specifically, the council's review must include its own annual report on economic indicators, "Measures of Growth in Focus," as well as:

1. "Charting Maine's Future: An Action Plan for Promoting Sustainable Prosperity and Quality Places," prepared by the Brookings Institution in collaboration with GrowSmart Maine and published in 2006;

2. "Time for Change," the final report of the Joint Select Committee on Future Maine Prosperity, issued in 2008;

3. "Reinventing Maine Government," prepared by Envision Maine and published in 2010; and

4. "Making Maine Work: Critical Investments for the Maine Economy," the 3-part series prepared by the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and the Maine Development Foundation and published in 2010 to 2012.

After reviewing the recommendations and reports, the council shall identify those proposals it determines offer the most potential for positively transforming economic conditions in the State, extract from those proposals concrete proposals for legislative action and translate them into proposed legislation; and be it further

Sec. 2. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the council shall contract with the Maine Development Foundation for primary staff support to carry out the purposes of this resolve; and be it further

Sec. 3. Outside funding. Resolved: That the council shall seek outside funding to fund the costs of developing the plan. The council may not accept contributions from any party having a pecuniary or other vested interest in the outcome of the plan. To the extent that outside contributions are inadequate to fully fund all costs of developing the plan, the council is not required to develop the plan; and be it further

Sec. 4. Report. Resolved: That the council shall submit the plan, including any necessary implementing legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic development matters no later than December 5, 2012. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor, commerce, research and economic development matters is authorized to report out a bill to implement the recommendations to the First Regular Session of the 126th Legislature.’