Communities for Maine's Future

Above: Farmington's Main Street.

Write to your legislators to help pass the Communities for Maine's Future Act, a major new investment in our village centers, downtowns, and Main Streets that will re-energize our local economies and enhance Maine's "brand."

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Support LD 775, the Communities for Maine's Future Act

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Our downtowns, Main Streets, and village centers help foster our state's small, locally-owned small businesses, and they're a key part of the state's valuable "brand."

We need to invest in these places to promote the high-quality economic development of the new economy. By promoting economic growth in our existing community centers, we can reduce the fiscal costs of services and infrastructure, and also promote greater independence from fossil-fuel-burning automobiles.

The Communities for Maine's Future Act would bolster already-existing Main Street economic development programs that have, in the past, demonstrated extremely high returns on shoestring investments. The funds will be granted competitively to support the projects that will have the biggest impacts, and the funds will leverage an equal or greater amount of money from local or private sources.

Downtown and Main Street development is the kind of economic growth that all Mainers want to support. I hope that you will do all that you can to pass LD 775, the Communities for Maine's Future Act, and make this new economy possible.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 26, 2009

Background Information

GrowSmart Maine's work in the State House this winter is focused on passing a Maine-based economic recovery package, the core of which will be a new Communities for Maine's Future Act for revitalizing Maine's village centers, downtowns, and Main Streets.

In the past few decades, most of our economic growth has occurred outside of our downtowns and village centers. But rising energy and transportation costs, plus new appreciation for the sense of community and in-town vitality, are now attracting developers back downtown.

Downtown redevelopment makes better use of existing public infrastructure and services. And the environmental benefits of compact, walkable Main Streets include reduced greenhouse gases and energy costs, and better public health.

Read recent news articles and learn more on our Communities for Maine's Future web page.