Question 2 on this year’s state ballot asks voters to support a $25 million bond that will further strengthen research and development in Maine. That includes investments in specific areas such as biotechnology, marine technology and aquaculture, forest products and agriculture, and environmental technologies.

These funds would ensure that Maine continues to grow and attract the innovative companies and talented workforce we need for a healthy and vibrant economy. For that reason, we hope Mainers will vote “yes” at the polls this November.

Competitively awarded to state-based public and private institutions by the Maine Technology Institute, the bond-funded program would require grantees to match what they receive with at least an equal amount of private investments.

Our state is fortunate to have a number of high-achieving research institutions working together to amplify their impact for science and for Maine. As the leaders of two of these world-class organizations, MDI Biological Laboratory and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, we’ve seen up close how strategic public investments in our sector create and sustain good-paying jobs for the state – and vital knowledge for the world.

Between 2001 and 2007, for instance, lawmakers approved some $50 million to boost Maine’s biomedical sector. That included $5.5 million to help MDI Bio Lab winterize its Bar Harbor campus after a century of seasonal operation.

Those renovations jump-started the institution’s transformation into a year-round biomedical science and education center. MDI Bio Lab has leveraged that initial investment to bring $200 million in federal funding to Maine, and it has grown into a vibrant research institution with more than 100 employees and fellows.

Perhaps even more importantly, that public support enabled the establishment of a statewide research and training network, led by MDI Bio Lab, that now connects 17 research and academic institutions in Maine. The network has supported more than 50 scientists, provided hands-on research experience to thousands of Maine college students, and advanced our understanding of human health.

State funding has had a similar impact at Bigelow Laboratory, advancing its scientific and economic potential through diverse investments. A $4.5 million grant administered by the Maine Technology Institute in 2012 was critical to the construction of the institution’s state-of-the-art laboratory in East Boothbay, greatly expanding its research capacity and creating new jobs. Since that time, the nonprofit organization has increased staff by 60 percent and recognized $223 million in revenue from state, federal, industry and private philanthropic support.

Other state funds have bolstered Bigelow Laboratory’s efforts to understand harmful PFAS “forever chemical” pollutants in Maine’s waters, reduce methane emissions from cattle, develop technology to support local aquaculture and accelerate innovative and sustainable products from algae.

A recent report by the Bioscience Association of Maine shows that between 2013 and 2023, the number of life sciences jobs in the state jumped by 54 percent, to almost 10,000 – a far higher growth rate than overall jobs. And average wages in the life sciences sector are now higher than $100,000.

Our organizations are working hard to help train and educate the science-savvy workforce those life science employers need through courses, conferences and paid fellowships in our cutting-edge facilities.

There’s real momentum to build on here, and this bond couldn’t arrive at a better time.

It’s been seven years since Maine voters last approved an R&D bond. That $45 million investment ultimately leveraged more than $224 million in matching funds from the private sector. With an impact of more than $1 billion on the Maine economy, it directly financed 1,770 new jobs – and indirectly supported over 3,000 more.

Voting “yes” on Question 2 will renew that commitment to our state’s economic future. A future where Maine drives innovation and doesn’t lag other states that are making large investments in research and development. A future where your family members don’t have to choose between the salary they need and the place they want to live. A future where Maine leverages its competitive advantages, supports its incredible people, and reaches its full potential as an R&D state.