Up until this year, Maine has an aggressive tool in its economic development playbook that was just that. Called the Governor’s Training Initiative, the joint program between the Maine departments of Labor and Economic and Community Development was established in 1996.
GTI provided financial assistance to Maine companies to train new workers or to make their current workforce more competitive. In short, it was a program that gave money to business to train workers in exactly the skills they need.
According to GTI’s 2010 annual report, 21 companies that year benefited from the program, accounting for 329 new jobs, while also providing training to 708 workers who needed improved skills.
Despite a weak national economy that continued to put the brakes on business investment and new hiring, GTI leveraged $700,000 to attract more than $3.2 million in private investment — all of it spent on job creation and retention.
The state paid just $675 per worker who benefited from the program — a bargain if you ask me.
Unfortunately, Gov. LePage — so concerned about workers and blaming them for a lack of skills — eliminated the program in his first two-year budget as governor. Zeroed it right out. The program can’t accept any new applications and there’s no money there to support Maine companies who are willing to provide training to their workers. (My emphasis)
Hissss.
Booooooo.
Recall!
Is recall available in Maine?
Oops. First graph of the quote was not included in the blockquote.
It’s theology, not reason or economics, an article of faith. We much believe that the good will prosper in our system, and all who prosper are good. And those who fail to prosper deserve their fate because of their flaws.
If it were not so, then there would be something wrong with the way we have arranged things, which is impossible.
From the link:
Up until this year, Maine has an aggressive tool in its economic development playbook that was just that. Called the Governor’s Training Initiative, the joint program between the Maine departments of Labor and Economic and Community Development was established in 1996.
Hissss.
Booooooo.
Recall!
Is recall available in Maine?
Oops. First graph of the quote was not included in the blockquote.
It’s theology, not reason or economics, an article of faith. We much believe that the good will prosper in our system, and all who prosper are good. And those who fail to prosper deserve their fate because of their flaws.
If it were not so, then there would be something wrong with the way we have arranged things, which is impossible.