Let me get this straight. One week, the governor proposes to set up “no union” zones to attract new business and the next he is at a press conference where St. Croix Paper announces a major expansion of its Woodland mill, adding two new tissue machines and 60 new jobs when up and running.

Those would be 60 new, good-paying union jobs, I believe.

Since this is the “no BS” governor, perhaps he should stop the BS. If his Open for Business Zones are really part of an anti-union ploy, why not say, “I hate unions, and I will do everything I can to destroy them.” Then he could rename these zones “anti-union” or “Mississippi” zones, so we all know this is just a race to the bottom of the barrel for workers just like Mississippi.

This is just more extreme trickle-down economics scheme, geared to serve the good ol’ boys and a handful of token women at the top of the economic pile. And it will do the same damage to the economy as it has for the last 40 years.

Good-paying jobs boost the entire economy. But the governor can’t have it both ways. He should stay away the next time union jobs are created or change his proposal to set up fair-wage zones. I like the sound of that better. I do not want to live in “Mississippi North.”

Stephen AucoinWaterville


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