Fighting Brain Drain
Portrait by Rob Kievit '09
Standing on the sidewalk of Waterville’s Main Street on some cold days last winter, a group of Colby students sought the attention of passersby. “Do you want your kids to go to college for free?” It’s an odd question to be asked while running errands, and most people wanted to know more. We explained that we were collecting signatures in support of a piece of legislation to help Maine college graduates who stayed in the state pay off their student loans. For this group of Colby students, it was about making a positive change by getting involved with local politics.
After students and allies collected 73,000 signatures of support from voters, this summer Maine Governor John Baldacci signed into law the Act to Allow a Tax Credit for College Loan Repayments, known as Opportunity Maine. The law provides a tax credit to Maine residents who earned a degree in Maine and who then live, work, and pay taxes in the state. Colby students who graduate in January 2008 or later will be eligible to participate.
Opportunity Maine is a homegrown law—created by and for young Mainers. Students at the University of Southern Maine teamed up with the Maine State League of Young Voters to tackle two issues: paying off student loans and fighting brain drain—the phenomenon of educated Maine people leaving to work out of state.
Having come to Maine from New York City, I find that because of the state’s small population and the availability of local politicians to their constituents, it is easier to make a difference.
While collecting signatures, my friends and I, as members of the Colby League of Progressive Voters, were especially pleased by the encouragement from people outside the Colby community. “It was refreshing to see such overwhelming support from the community at large,” said Jack Drury ’07, who collected 1,000 signatures on election day. The law, which is popular with legislators and voters in Maine, has inspired other states to research similar legislation, according to Tony Giampetruzzi, the communications director of Opportunity Maine.
It is exciting to know that the law we supported will now help young people to afford higher education—not just our classmates, but students statewide. Although standing outside during a Maine winter to collect signatures wasn’t always fun, it was worth the effort. “No matter how busy we are on he hill,” said Lindsay Tolle ’08, “when we see something important
to us, we make time for it.”
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