Maine State Senate President and Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Libby Mitchell visited several businesses in Damariscotta and Newcastle in a low key event Aug. 22 aimed at discussing economic issues with local business owners.
After speaking briefly at the Lincoln County Democrats Lobster Bake, where Mitchell chided Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Paul LePage for not agreeing to a debate and sought to energize Democratic activists, Mitchell traveled to Rising Tide Community Market to speak with Mark Ward, President of the Board.
Giving her a tour of the store, Ward explained to the candidate the structures behind Rising Tide, a coop owned collectively by 2700 individual owners. He explained to Mitchell that Rising Tide’s commitment to featuring local products helped both area farmers and businesses.
“The money stays in the local economy,” said Ward, citing the 150 plus local vendors the store does business with.
According to Ward, Rising Tide has expanded three times since its founding in 1978.
Sen. Mitchell expressed her desire to encourage this kind of local community-based economics throughout the state. “I can’t wait until this is a model for other places,” she said. “Why can’t we find these best practices and share them?”
Mitchell thanked Ward for his hospitality and for “getting her husband shopping.”
Hopping into her hybrid car and following municipal attorney Peter Drum, her guide for the Twin Village tour, Mitchell next stopped in downtown Damariscotta.
Walking through the Maine Coast Book Shop and Weatherbird food store, Mitchell greeted supports and Sunday afternoon shoppers before ending her tour at the Newcastle Publick House.
In a discussion with the owners, Mitchell asked how the Twin Villages became so interconnected and small business oriented.
“It makes sense and it’s local,” said Newcastle Publick House’s Alex Nevins.
In an interview after the tour, Mitchell said that Damariscotta’s small business-focus should be a model for not only Maine, but for the country. While many storefronts are boarding up and closing up shop, Mitchell said, Damariscotta’s businesses were thriving in tough economic times.
“What we have here is keeping a lot of small businesses going because people value their downtown,” said Mitchell.
Mitchell said, as governor, she would continue to help small businesses by creating a “one stop shop” for those try to navigate the State’s regulatory agencies: each business would be given a business advocate that would help them through the start up or business expansion process.
Dismissing her opponent’s call for across the board deregulation that, in his view, harms small businesses, Mitchell said she would rather streamline the regulation process and “make regulations predictable.”
“I don’t think you have to destroy the environment to be friendly to business, “said Mitchell,” I don’t think Maine businesses are asking for that either.”
