4 C E N T R A L M A I N E ' S M O S T C O N N E C T E D B U S I N E S S PA R K F O R 2 5 Y E A R S
W
e are in 2023's fiscal Fourth Quarter
and the world economy remains
uncertain. While the job market
has largely rebounded from the
COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, climbing interest rates
and energy costs remain domestic issues of concern.
Problems abound, but the solutions are the same as
they've always been. Now more than ever, Maine needs
entrepreneurship. Our state needs businesses large and
small to create jobs and grow the economy. Especially
in rural areas, economic development is paramount,
bringing the same types of career opportunities that
exist in Cumberland County to other parts of Maine.
A statewide economic recovery is impossible without
the rest of Maine—the Maine that I know and love.
But, in truth, Mainers only need to build on their
momentum from last year. In 2022, Maine's gross
domestic product reached nearly $63 billion—a two
percent increase from the year before. Our economic
growth came in large part because of the many
newcomers to our state, which represents a viable
2023
A Year of Economic
Development for
the Rest of Maine
By Jim Dinkle, Executive Director of FirstPark
