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GSS: Candidate touts experience

Jacobson: Tourism key to Maine economy

Posted on March 25, 2010, at 3:58 a.m.

Maintaining jobs and nurturing business growth were the major themes of Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Jacobson’s conversation with General Student Senate at its meeting Tuesday.

“I’d like to see us build on our strengths,” Jacobson said. “That’s how you do economic development. You find out what you do better than anyone else, and you go after it.”

Jacobson said tourism, especially the state’s capacity to woo cruise ships during the summer, is one of Maine’s keys to economic strength. He said 25 percent of the state’s economy is made up of tourism and related industries, and that he would encourage institutions of higher education to offer programs in culinary arts and hotel management to nurture the industry.

The candidate emphasized his background in bringing jobs to Maine through Maine & Company, as well as his managerial experience running the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad. He said Maine is exceptionally well connected to Asia and that Maine goods could get to Shanghai in 16 days.

“We need to play pitch-and-catch with Asia,” Jacobson said. He told senate that the expansion of freight and passenger rail would help boost Maine’s economy.

Jacobson said that if he were a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, he would have voted against the health care package that was passed Sunday.

“The problem I have with the bill is a problem of liberty,” Jacobson said. “This is the first time in our history where our government is compelling you to buy a product as a condition of citizenship.” Jacobson said reform should take the form of buffet-style insurance plans, where customers will pick which conditions or diseases they want to be covered for, and which they do not.

Jacobson said out-of-control government spending in Augusta drove him to vote for TABOR II last year, despite preferring “for leaders to lead, and not to let algorithms lead for us.”

“For me it was just a protest vote,” Jacobson said. “I am absolutely convinced we have a group in Augusta that cannot control themselves.”

In other GSS business…

• Senate granted preliminary approval to Hoop Dance Club. It also approved a name change for the former Crossfit Club, now known as Crossfit Black Bear.

• Sen. Mary Emmi reported on the first meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee to Review and Revise the Fair Elections and Practices Committee Guidelines. The senator said not all committee members were present. Upon request by Sen. Rebekah Dyer, Senate President Nyssa Gatcombe said she would instruct committee chairman Ross Wolland to develop a timetable of goals for the committee.

• GSS allocated $1,820 to ASCE Concrete Canoe Team; $1,240 to the Interfraternity Council; $2,000 to Muslim Student Association; $1,600 to Orono Student Nurses Association; $1,200 to Phi Sigma Tau; and $2,381 to Wilde Stein Alliance for Sexual Diversity.

• Senate passed a resolution to adopt the Business School’s honor code for Student Government Inc. and on behalf of the general student body.

• A resolution to encourage the university to adopt single-stream recycling was sent to the Policy and Procedures Committee for review. The resolution should return to the senate next week.

• The senate interviewed three representatives for the nonvoting student representative to the University of Maine System board of trustees: Sen. Alex Price, second-year business student Katie Foster and second-year economics student Nathan Kinney. The senate will elect the representative next week.

• A resolution to instruct Vice President of Student Entertainment Joseph “Pat” Nabozny to book barstoolsports.com’s Barapalooza failed, 10-13-5.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 25th, 2010, 3:58 am. You can follow any responses to this article through the RSS feed.