🔒Politics / policy: Buckle up for a challenging economy

Marty Grohman is an entrepreneur and seasoned politician. He’s seen a lot, but the former state Legislator and outgoing mayor of Biddeford is nervous about the coming year. “I’ll be honest,” he says. “I think we’re in for a challenging year economically.” Among the hats he’s worn is executive director of E2Tech, and he’s tuned into the impact electricity rates can have on businesses. “Electric costs have climbed significantly, permitting processes remain sluggish and too often local opposition kills promising projects before they get to tell their full story,” he says. “This reinforces Maine’s reputation for being difficult to do business in — which sends exactly the wrong message to entrepreneurs and investors looking at where to locate or expand.”

Even keel

That said, “Maine has never been a boom-and-bust state,” he says. He cites progress in addressing the housing shortage, though laments that the homeless situation “is the real shadow problem, getting worse by the day.” Grohman says the 2026 elections — with two U.S. House seats, a Senate seat and the governor’s office — “will dominate attention and suck the oxygen out of economic discussions. Unfortunately, we’ll see more focus on cultural flashpoint issues that drive base turnout, rather than on the economic fundamentals that affect most Mainers day-to-day.” Ever willing to take on new roles, Grohman himself is now leading a startup to help municipalities qualify for Extended Producer Responsibility reimbursements. “As this new law gets implemented, it’s going to drive significant opportunity in recycling and waste management,” he says. For job seekers, Grohman reminds people that municipalities and nonprofits are always looking for people, regardless of economic conditions. “As always in Maine, if you’re innovative and looking for niches, you can do well,” he says. “Just don’t stick your head too far out of the foxhole.”