We want Maine to be richer, with more opportunities for our kids. But the downside of that is a loss of the very qualities that make Maine so special. We're trying to be very conscious of this dilemma. To try to do it in ways that build the quality of life, not diminish it. My impression is of incredible dynamism, opportunity, and the imperative to be quick.
Businesses can move so fast and governments have to learn to do the same.
We can't wait years to implement things. And that's tricky in a democracy where you've got to build consensus. One of the problems with my proposal this past winter was that it was too big, too sudden, and there was a lot of resistance. That's the way that the democratic process works. The challenge is how to meld that reality with the imperative speed and responsiveness.