SACO — What are some of the issues gubernatorial candidates want to address first if elected into office? Answers from candidates include helping small businesses prosper, creating jobs and making electricity and health care more affordable.

Four candidates for governor ”“ Libby Mitchell, Paul LePage, Shawn Moody and Eliot Cutler ”“ participated in a forum Wednesday afternoon sponsored by the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The forum was held at Southern Maine SportsZone at the chamber’s annual business expo.

Mitchell said she wants to create more jobs with livable wages.

“There’s no time to waste. Maine people are anxious to go back to work,” she said.

Mitchell said she wanted to combine the state Department of Economic and Community Development and the State Planning Department and “bring it right inside the governor’s office.” This office would help job creation and have advocates that would “shepherd” businesses, she said.

Moody said one of the first things he would do is change the attitude in the state government toward small businesses.

“It’s no secret that Maine isn’t business-friendly and hasn’t been for some time,” said Moody.

Moody, who owns a chain of autobody shops, said that small businesses make up most of the businesses in Maine and he would look into providing tax relief for those businesses.

“Small business is the engine of the economy,” said Moody.

LePage said the state needed to create an “EZ-pass for job creators.”

To do this, said LePage, “you need to get government out of the way.”

LePage said he would like to institute a 90-day review process for new projects, and at that time give them a “thumbs up or thumbs down.” He said he didn’t want to see another incident like the Plumb Creek development, which was held up for five years.

LePage said the state needs to allow the private sector to prosper.

“The private sector creates capitol, creates jobs,” said LePage.

He also said that Maine needs to make health care and electricity more affordable and get rid of Dirigo Health.

Cutler agreed that the state needs to keep the cost of electricity down.

“We’re not going to get it down by talking about it, we’re going to get it down by creating an energy finance authority,” said Cutler.

Cutler proposed importing electricity from Canada, adding that Maine is losing blueberry, potato and lobster processing to Canada because electricity is cheaper there.

Cutler also said the state needs to keep the cost of healthcare down, and he  proposed a model based on prevention and wellness.

He said there need to be strong standards in Maine to protect its natural resources, but there does not need to be a “two-layer process” ”“ the state should do away with the Board of Environmental Protection and keep the Department of Environmental Protection.

Cutler said that the state should help small businesses have necessary lines of credit.

“We need to figure out as a state, how we’re going to keep small business in business,” said Cutler.

Regarding questions of leadership, Moody said he has more than 30 years of business experience. He said he’s spent his entire professional career growing relationships between people as he’s grown the company. One third of his company is owned by employees, he said, and his company’s value has increased 18 percent per year during the past seven years.

“That’s empowering people and (getting) results. That’s exactly the type of leadership I’ll bring to Augusta,” he said.

LePage said there needs to be transparency in government. As mayor of Waterville, he opens his office every Saturday morning to anyone who has questions or concerns, and he would do the same if elected governor.

“Saturday mornings I will be there, and people can come by and talk to the governor,” he said.

LePage said he thought legislative public hearings should be televised, and he would have a cabinet meeting in a different county every month, “so we can bring government to the people.”

Cutler said he is not making any promises about spending money, because it was too early, and it wasn’t good to make promises that one couldn’t keep.

“I have the advantage of coming into the office of governor with no ties to any political parties. No obligations. No cronies,” said Cutler.

Mitchell said transparency is important.

“We’re not going to get anywhere unless we’re transparent with what’s really happening,” said Mitchell.

She said she supports building public and private partnerships.

“Government can’t create jobs,” she said, but “government can be your partner.”

Mitchell said she has three children who are small business owners, and she wants the state to help small businesses grow and succeed.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.