BIDDEFORD — Former governor and independent candidate for U.S. Senate Angus King hit the campaign trail in Biddeford and Saco on Thursday. He started the morning by meeting with members of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce and Industry, at their headquarters in the Saco Transportation Center.
Later, he toured the North Dam Mill in Biddeford.
“This is fantastic,” said King while being led on a tour by the mill’s owner, Doug Sanford.
Sanford introduced King to some of the business owners who lease space from him.
King said he was impressed with the diversity of the businesses at the mill, which range from book binding to art, technology and even dog food.
“I am overwhelmed by the energy and numbers” of businesses, he said. “This is amazing and really exciting.”
At the meeting at the chamber with business leaders and officials from the twin cities, King said the discussion focused on the number of jobs available in York County, which is from 400 to 500, but the lack of a trained workforce to fill those positions.
Something should be done to match education with available jobs, he said.
“The burden of regulation” on businesses was another topic that was discussed, said King.
“We’re burying our businesses in regulation,” he said. While many regulations are well-intended, he said, they “stifle business development.”
If elected, said King, he hopes to help business development in Maine by working on measures to get a trained workforce for existing jobs and reducing regulations that impede businesses from growing.
A crowd gathered at the mill to meet King, including Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant, and he managed to spend a minute or two with everyone in attendance.
Expressing what appeared to be the common sentiment of those interacting with King, Kristi Greene, who works at the bookkeeping business Brainstorm, located at North Dam, said, “We’ve missed you” since his last term in public service as Maine’s governor from 1995-2003.
“We’re glad you’re back in it,” she said.
— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.
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