YORK - State Rep. Windol Weaver racked up a strong pro-business voting record in the 123rd Legislature, according to an analysis by the Maine Economic Research Institute (MERI).
Weaver's rating of 88.5 out of a possible 100 put him in the top rank of legislators who voted consistently in favor of a strong Maine economy.
MERI, based in Augusta, is a nonpartisan organization whose directors and advisory committee members represent all parts of the political spectrum. At the end of each legislature, the organization grades lawmakers on their votes over two years on bills affecting job creation, health insurance, taxation and other important economic issues. There were 17 such bills in this latest analysis.
"Maine faces numerous problems on the economic front, from rising unemployment and high taxes to an affordability crisis in health insurance," Weaver commented. "Our weak rate of job creation and Maine's low average incomes are major factors driving so many of our young people out of the state to find work. Maine's per capita income is $12,000 below the New England average. Even the governor himself said recently that our income tax rates are too high and must come down to help Maine compete."
Weaver also said Maine has one of the worst business environments in the nation. According to Forbes magazine, in fact, Maine ranks 46th on a list of best states for business.
"When you're in the bottom five states for business climate you're not very attractive to entrepreneurs trying to start a business or to existing companies looking for a new location," he said. "We have a great quality of life in Maine, but that's not always enough to outweigh the negatives from a business standpoint. ... Considering the serious challenges we face, I will always vote for bills that protect the jobs we have and create more jobs by improving our economy. And I will oppose bills that will do more damage to the state economy. Without business there is no economy, and with no economy there are no jobs."
