AUGUSTA - Rep. Anne Perry, D-Calais, introduced LD 807, An Act to Create the Small Communities Tourism Fund, before the Joint Standing Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business on Tuesday. The measure would establish a fund within the Department of Economic and Community Development's Office of Tourism that would offer grants to small communities seeking to develop and promote events and natural resource-based tourism opportunities.
"Larger communities are more likely to have the infrastructure and manpower to compete for existing tourism funding opportunities, resources that our smaller towns simply do not have," said Perry. "The fund established by LD 807 will carve out an opportunity for communities that might benefit from smaller grant awards used to promote local fairs, races, parades and other largely volunteer-run events that showcase all that rural Maine has to offer."
Between 2010 and 2021, Maine's most rural and least populous counties, including Aroostook County, Somerset County and Washington County, saw the largest population declines. These areas are known for their natural beauty, yet attracting people and revenue has historically been a challenge.
The Legislature's Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business Committee will hold a work session on the bill in the coming weeks.
Perry represents House District 9, which includes the communities of Baileyville, Baring Plantation, Calais, Eastport, Grand Lake Stream Plantation, Passamaquoddy Indian Township, Meddybemps, Perry, Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point and Robbinston. She serves as House chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services.
Contact:
Brian Lee [Perry], c. 305-965-2744