The announcement of David Roux and Northeastern University’s plan for a graduate school and research center in Portland is welcome news. However, this investment is merely the beginning of (or catalyst for, as Roux put it) Maine’s journey into the modern economy.
Maine’s public officials should aggressively invest in public goods to foster long-term growth that preserves the state’s natural beauty and quality of life. For example, improvements in the Portland-Boston rail link could cut travel time and improve exchange with the life sciences hub. Public transport projects within Portland could zip visiting researchers from the jetport to the Roux Institute and back. Moving USM (or UM-Portland) to the east of 295 – and building a true campus for it –would attract students from around the world. Marketing efforts in places like New York or Boston could remind big-city dwellers that a better life is only a few hours north. Read more
