Portland looks to establish Office for New Americans
Portland City Council’s Economic Development Committee will be holding a public hearing next week to discuss the founding of an Office for New Americans, an entity that would assist immigrants in starting a new business and entering the workforce.
During his first “State of the City” address in February, Mayor Ethan Strimling supported the establishment of the Office for New Americans, which was identified as a top goal for the council during a goal-setting session in January.
“I’m looking forward to listening to the input that we receive and moving forward with this effort,” Strimling said in a prepared statement. “It’s extremely important to our city’s economy that we are connecting our new citizens with job opportunities and business development so those building the next generation have the tools they need to succeed and thrive.”
Portland City Manager Jon Jennings said that he plans on asking the council to approve $10,000 as part of next year’s budget to create the office, according to the Portland Press Herald.
Dan Wallace, director of state and local initiatives at the New York City-based Partnership for a New American Economy, will be attending the meeting to discuss how similar offices across the United States have operated within communities.
The public hearing is scheduled to be held next Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the State of Maine room at City Hall.
“I’m looking forward to this conversation so that we can identify ways in which to assist our new American population with job opportunities and business development,” said Councilor David Brenerman, chairman of the Economic Development Committee, in a news release. “I encourage all citizens to attend and share their input and ideas on this topic. We’re especially hoping to hear first-hand from new citizens and from those who are already working with this population.”
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