This week at Orono Brewing Company, small business owners expressed their gratitude to Governor Janet Mills for her steadfast support and leadership and blasted Paul LePage for his policy failures that hurt their businesses. The small business owners made clear that they have no interest in letting LePage take the state backward:
Heather Furth, owner of Orono Brewing Company: “We’re lucky in Maine to finally have a leader who has made Maine a welcoming place for people of all walks of life. It’s no surprise that a record number of people have been moving to Maine these past years. They see the quality of life we have here, our world class restaurants and—dare I say —breweries, it’s no surprise this is where they want to put down roots. This welcoming attitude has meant more customers in the door. More visitors patronizing mine and other local establishments…For the sake of our state, our livelihoods, it’s vital we re-elect Governor Mills and send Paul LePage back to Florida.”
Emerald Forcier, owner of Penobscot Bay Weddings: “When I think of Paul LePage, think of his support for offshore drilling…I know that Governor Mills is the only one that I can trust to keep my family’s property and our sense of pride healthy, clean, and vibrant…I could talk all day about how Governor Mills is the only option for Maine.”
Mary Rush, owner of MERT Enterprises: “When I realized the former governor was planning to run again, I was thinking ‘Oh, we can’t go through that again’...without the Mills administration being there and having our back through the [pandemic], we would not have survived.”
Rep. Joe Perry (D-Bangor), owner of Joe’s Market: “During [LePage’s] administration I was on the Bangor City Council. The cuts to revenue sharing, general aid, education, the counties all ended up on our property tax bills. What did I see from savings from the supposed income tax cut? Nothing. These are the kinds of shifts that killed small businesses and working families.”
Maine Democratic Party Vice Chair and former Brewer Mayor Bev Uhlenhake: “The reality is simple. Paul LePage’s tenure was a disaster for our small businesses…Governor Mills has once again made Maine a welcoming state that people want to come to and tourists want to visit—not one which is known nationwide for its governor’s extreme policies and vulgar outbursts…Governor Mills has invested in people—from health care to education and more—because she understands that when you support people, you're strengthening the economy. The actions of LePage’s administration could not have made it more clear that he doesn’t care about supporting people.”