Monthly Archives: January 2014

Bring Films to Maine.

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I am really, really passionate about getting movie and TV studios to Maine. I truly believe it would be an enormous boost to our economy. Think about it, dozens of jobs ranging in skill level and pay grade. Free advertising for the state of Maine, low environmental impact, various venues across the state. Why WOULDN’T we want the industry here?

Here’s the deal, Maine is not competitive at all when it comes to incentives for filmmakers. Films set in Maine are being filmed in Canada, MA, and other locations. Filmmakers who want to film here can’t because the studios find better deals elsewhere. I’ve heard numerous stories about filmmakers that WANT to come here, but can’t because we don’t provide adequate incentives. How stupid is that? We have people that want to come here and create jobs, and highlight what a great state Maine is, but we are do nothing to welcome them. In fact, we are actively repelling them.

I think a great way to emphasize how little the state cares about attracting the film industry is easily illustrated by checking out the differences in Maine’s Film Office website and New Mexico’s Film Office site. Are you as angry and embarrassed as I am?

I mean. Wow. Just wow. Ours looks like it was slapped together by an intern in, well according to the site, 2006 – because they haven’t bothered to update the copyright at the bottom of the page. It’s full of dead links, no news, nothing. Just take it down, it would be less embarrassing.

New Mexico’s well. There’s a state that wants to attract some business. Not only is that site highlighting the film industry, but you can also check out other emerging areas they are trying to attract. Notice that nice big banner on the side touting the big tax breaks for films?

There’s  a lot of blow back about giving film companies tax incentives. Normally, I’m not gung-ho about slinging massive tax breaks to corporations but in this case, we have to do it. If we want the industry here, an industry that has all the advantages I listed above, we have to do it.  Why not? We give tons of breaks to mills and call centers, and we know how well that’s been working out. Those industries only focus on one skill in one area of the state. Films have the potential to spread the wealth state-wide.

What can you do about it? Find your representative on this list and tell them you want competitive incentives for the film industry in Maine. Let’s do this.

Buried Lines of Communication

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This post is the result of 3 well-timed articles and 4 shots of espresso.  I have come up with a plan that will not only increase internet speed state-wide but will also greatly reduce the amount of power outages in the state and attract new businesses. Crazy talk? I think not.

Remember the ice/snow storms we had a few weeks ago that left over 100K people w/out power, some for days in freezing cold temperatures? . Thousands of dollars lost from spoiled food and closed businesses.  You can bet insurance claims will be through the roof. People died due to carbon monoxide poisoning from improperly vented generators, which is a common occurrence during outages.  This doesn’t have to happen. There’s a simple, but expensive solution; bury the lines.

 

A recent BDN article explains that by burying the power lines, Maine could save millions a year in fixing downed lines, and also in maintenance. Of course, it would be a massive undertaking, but wasn’t putting up the poles in the first place?

 

Now, while we’re digging up the state to bury power lines, let’s lay down some super fast fiber optic internet cables! Maine is 49th in internet speed in the country. The US is 9th in the world for speed. Last night NPR did a great piece on the high-price and low-speed problem in the US. I highly suggest listening to it, if for no other reason than to hear the speed comparison demo using Black Sabbath.  Apparently, Chattanooga, TN has the fastest internet in the US. How’d they do it? A massive public works project that involved laying down fiber optic cable. They now have internet speeds around 1G. 100X faster than the avg. Oh guess what? Businesses from around the country are now looking at Chattanooga to set up shop. If Maine spent the money and installed this same kind of cable, it stands to reason that companies would start looking up here to re-locate. Especially some of those coveted tech firms down in Beantown.

 

One solution to solve 3 problems.  Boom. Done.

Child Labor & Slow Internet

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Two major articles in the Press Herald this morning clearly illustrate, to me anyway, the kind of backwards thinking about fixing the economy & attracting new families plaguing the state.

1. We rank 49th in internet connectivity. The top speeds in Maine are far below the top speeds in NH, MA, and other New England states.  In case you didn’t know Boston is being widely hailed as the new Silicon Valley. Boston is RIGHT THERE. If we got our stuff together, even a little, I’m betting we could lure some of those companies, and therefore jobs and people up here. Will we do that with the slowest internet in the country? No. No we won’t. Not even a chance.

2.  Gov. Le Page is railing about how we need to lower the working age in Maine from 16 to 12, and apparently this will save the economy. I’m not really sure how making it easier for 12-yr-olds to work is going to do anything to fix the economy. Also, kids under 16 can easily apply for a work permit, and have for years.

Does anyone else see a problem/correlation between these two headlines? What kind of thinking is going on here? I mean, I’m all for helping out farming families, but is allowing 12-yr-olds the right to work without the protections a work permit affords really going to promote the widespread economy boost this state needs? Is it going to attract businesses or families, or is it going to get us back in the national spotlight because our governor is trying to roll back child labor laws that have been in place for decades?