As has been extensively written about in these pages over the past year, the economic downturn has had a devastating impact on Maine workers, and workers in the building and construction sector have been particularly hard hit. 

It has also been tremendously difficult to keep projects moving forward as the housing and credit markets fell under such extreme pressure.That’s why many of us are grateful to Senate President Libby Mitchell, Sen. Phil Bartlett and House Speaker Hannah Pingree, as well as local Scarborough delegates, for their leadership in winning state legislative approval for a sorely needed bond initiative for green, affordable housing. Proceeds from the bond will be used to put the construction sector back to work, designing and building energy-efficient housing for low and moderate income Mainers.

The legislature clearly had few options in such a tight budget year, but their use of bonding authority to help drive economic development in York County and throughout the state makes enormous sense and deserves recognition.

Elliott Chamberlain

Chamberlain Homes