GrowSmart Maine in the News

Press reports of GrowSmart Maine initiatives and events.

General GrowSmart Maine News

Portland alerted to impact of job sprawl. Portland Press Herald: April 6, 2009. A new Brookings Institution analysis of employment data shows that jobs have been moving out of city centers, but recent activity in Maine's downtowns and Main Streets indicates that the trend may be changing.

Is Maine kicking its sprawl habit? Maine Sunday Telegram: December 7, 2008. An analysis of Census data finds that fewer people are moving into far-flung suburbs, while Maine's larger towns and cities are beginning to grow again.

Residents Voice Opinions on Village Area in Standish. The Gazette: Nov. 28, 2008. A report on GrowSmart's work with the town of Standish to promote smart growth in the village of Standish Corner.

Keep Investing in Maine, Expert Urges at Summit. Bangor Daily News: October 11, 2008. Coverage of Bruce Katz's Summit 2008 keynote.

Enthusiasm Electric at GrowSmart Session on Energy . Bangor Daily News: October 11, 2008. Coverage of the "green innovation" and economic development workshops at Summit 2008.

Summit 2008 television report: WCSH6/WLBZ2, October 10, 2008.

Legislature Initatiated Farsighted Measures. Bangor Daily News op-ed column, June 30, 2008. GrowSmart Maine president Alan Caron praises the state Legislature and Governor for implementing several recommendations from the GrowSmart-Brookings report.

Top Stories of 2007. MaineBiz: December 2007. The Brookings report and GrowSmart's subsequent work ranks as one of the biggest Maine business news stories of the year.

Editor's Note: Maine's "Best Kick in the Butt". Down East Magazine: January 2008. Paul Doiron, Editor of DownEast Magazine, honors GrowSmart's advocacy and the "Charting Maine's Future" report in the magazine's first annual "Best of Maine" issue.

Government Streamlining News

Read all entries related to Government Efficiency in the "Charting Maine's Future" blog.

Add Your Ideas to Overhauling Maine Government. Alan Caron, Bangor Daily News op-ed: October 7, 2008. With rapidly-rising health care costs, Maine's budget outlook is grim unless we make major changes to how government is run. This op-ed invites concerned Mainers to join GrowSmart at the Summit to share their ideas for the future of government in Maine.

Next Stage in Brookings Reform Not Easy. John Porter, Maine Sunday Telegram: May 11, 2008. In his weekly column, the Telegram's editorial page editor surveys the accomplishments of the GrowSmart-Brookings report, and looks ahead to the challenges of reinventing Maine's government.

Prosperity Report on Maine Issued: Plan for Maine's Future Success Garners Bipartisan Support. Victoria Wallack, Brunswick Times-Record: January 4, 2008. A news story that describes the bipartisan collaboration of the Legislature's Prosperity Committee, which endorsed the Brookings Institution's recommendation that Maine create an independent streamlining commission to trim state government.

Quality Places News

Read all entries related to Quality Places in the "Charting Maine's Future" blog.

Group seeks funds to renew Maine's downtowns. Matt Wickenheiser, Portland Press Herald: March 24, 2009.

Legislators Want to Improve Downtown Communities (includes video). Don Carrigan, WCSH6/WLBZ2: March 23, 2009.

A Bill for Maine's Downtowns. Sarah Komuniecki, WABI-5: March 23, 2009.

State bond issue may help boost local downtowns. Matthew Stone, Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel: March 10, 2009.

Room for Common Ground on Historic Congress Street. Op-ed by Maggie Drummond, The Forecaster: February 26, 2009. GrowSmart's advocacy director calls for finding common ground in the debate over whether Congress Street should be designated as a historic district.

Economic Development News

Read all entries related to Economic Development in the "Charting Maine's Future" blog.