9 months ago
PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER) -- As politicians continue to debate the stimulus bill in Washington, Maine businesses are speaking out to put on some pressure.
The Associated General Contractors of Maine joined officials from the Portland International Jetport at a news conference on Friday to make the point that its time to stop debating and act.
Paul Bradbury, the Jetport Director, says the expansion project at the terminal has been put on hold because of turmoil in the bond market. With money from the stimulus package work could begin within ninety days to finish the expansion and put about three hundred and fifty people to work.
"It meets every criteria that's been set forth that I've seen from the administration. Shovel ready. LEED certified so it will be an environmentally efficient building. It will stimulate jobs because it has two local dollars for every one dollar of federal funding," said Bradbury.
According to the Associated General Contractors, Maine could receive $317 million for new construction projects. That would help create well over seven thousand jobs.
John O'Dea, the head of AGC Maine, says those jobs are desperately needed. O'Dea says Maine has lost 3,200 construction jobs in this failing economy.
