Dear Editor:

As the election for governor approaches, I’ve been pondering the choices: Gov. Paul LePage, Republican, Mike Michaud, Democrat, and Eliot Cutler, independent.  Approaching my 79th year, I believe that none of these candidates have 100 percent of the experience, intelligence, initiative, integrity and personal demeanor necessary to serve as the chief executive of Maine State Government.  But we still need to select the best candidate with the best of all these attributes.    

So let’s look at improving the economy in Maine that has been at the forefront in the present campaign.  Certainly not much has been done in the past to advance sustainable economic growth.  Why?   Because every governor has failed to comprehensively address the fundamental problems most germane to sound economic growth in Maine. A few of these problems are: the excessive cost and management of public welfare; high energy costs and no comprehensive energy plan; inadequate maintenance and capital budging for roads and bridges and other infrastructure; fragmented policies for optimizing the conservation and use of our unique natural resources; and poorly managed and coordinated marketing and branding of the quality goods and services produced in the state.

I encourage everyone who plans to vote for governor in November to carefully examine the positions of each candidate.  Find out what ideas and policies provided by each candidate most comprehensively address the fundamental problems of growing the state economy while also conserving our unique natural environment.  Consider what each candidate would bring to the governor’s office to lead and work cooperatively with the legislature. 

Given the present divisiveness and reluctance to compromise between the two major political parties, I believe workable comprehensive policies for growing our economy in a smart and conservation-wise way have the best chance of gaining traction with independent and non-partisan leadership from the governor’s office. 

Considering all of the above, I will be voting for Eliot Cutler to be the next governor of Maine.

Nicholas Barth

Boothbay