To me, the best part of Congress' annual August recess is the opportunity it gives me to travel throughout our beautiful state and to visit with our great people. A highlight of these travels is always my tours of businesses that are providing good jobs that sustain our communities.
This August, I toured several such remarkable businesses. Their products are diverse and their histories vary greatly, but they share the traits of ingenuity, energy, and a commitment to excellence.
Tom's of Maine is headquartered in Kennebunk and has a manufacturing facility in Sanford. The company is known nationally and, increasingly globally, for its quality, all-natural personal care products. The story of this amazing company's birth and growth demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit at its best and a commitment to community service at its finest.
When Tom and Kate Chappell left Philadelphia back in 1968, they wanted a simpler, more wholesome way of life. They chose Maine. Two years later, when their search for natural, healthy products for their young family turned into a fledgling business, they put Maine on the label.
From the start, Tom's of Maine has been a different kind of company. The entire product line, with nothing artificial and no animal testing, is based on the belief that people and nature deserve respect. From toothpaste to soap, everything has one ingredient in common - goodness. Environmental stewardship and community service are integral parts of their business model. Their "50 States for Good" program to support grassroots community projects spreads that commitment nationwide. It was a pleasure to visit this wonderful company, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.
Hussey Seating in North Berwick is also an industry leader around the world. From the New England Patriots to the high-school gym, from concert halls to the Hard Rock Café, and from classrooms and conference centers to houses of worship, Hussey stands tall wherever people need a good place to sit.
I visited this company also to celebrate an anniversary - its 175th! It was fascinating to marvel at how much has changed since its founding in 1835. Our state of Maine was just 15 years old, our population was barely one-third of what it is today, and vast parts of our state were unexplored wilderness. What has not changed at Hussey's is the ethic of hard work and quality.
In 1835, most folks in North Berwick who didn't work at the new woolen mill were farmers, like William Hussey. Using his Yankee ingenuity, he designed and built a cast-iron plow that could stand up to Maine's rocky soil. Soon, demand for his rugged and efficient invention grew throughout New England and across America - an industry was born. Decades later, a devastating fire and a drop in demand for plows nearly destroyed the company. But in a way that truly defines this company, disaster was turned into opportunity. The rise of the great cities and the consequent construction boom created a demand for a variety of new products, from manhole covers to fire escapes. As the outdoors became a place for recreation as much as for earning a living, there came ski lifts, toboggan chutes, and bobsled runs. Then, at the height of the Great Depression, a new generation of Husseys recognized the exploding popularity of spectator sports and the potential of manufacturing bleachers and grandstands.
One of the most remarkable things about this family business is the size of its family. In addition to six generations of Husseys, there are generations of other last names among it skilled and dedicated workforce. The values that drive Hussey Seating produce loyal customers and loyal employees.
Its name and its products may not be as familiar to the general public, but D&G Machine Products of Westbrook is internationally known and respected throughout the pulp and paper, high technology, power, petro-chemical, food processing, aerospace and defense industries. Its precision design, machining, and fabrication operations put Maine on the cutting edge of innovation.
As is so often the case, success started small. D&G was founded in 1967 by Dave Gushee and Fred Loring in a one-car garage behind Dave's house. They specialized in producing custom tooling and dies for equipment manufacturers in the Portland area, and soon added fabrication and welding services.
D&G's founding principles of quality, attention to detail, and delivering unsurpassed customer satisfaction paid off. Within a few years, the young company outgrew the tiny garage and expanded into sophisticated design and engineering services. Today, D&G has more than 100,000-square feet of shop space and more than 130 highly skilled and dedicated employees. Its customer list includes such global giants as General Electric, Westinghouse, and General Dynamics.
Visiting these businesses and others confirmed my belief that the Administration must reverse its present course, which is stifling job growth, discouraging entrepreneurship and risk-taking, and hobbling the economic recovery.
I am especially concerned that the 2001 and 2003 tax relief provisions, which expire on January 1, may not be extended. These tax laws include such important reforms as the 10 percent tax rate, the relief from the marriage tax penalty, and the child tax credit, are providing tax relief to nearly 90 percent of Mainers. If they are not extended, middle-income families and small businesses will see their taxes increase. Coupled with tax increases that are included in the new health care law, which I opposed, the result would be one of the largest tax increases in U.S. history. Raising taxes during a recession would make it difficult and in some cases impossible for many Maine businesses to start up, grow, and create good jobs.
Many economists, in fact, contend that this is the worst possible time to increase taxes. I fully agree. I cannot imagine anyone even thinking about raising taxes in the midst of a recession.
If these tax relief provisions are not extended, the average middle-income family in Maine will see their taxes increase by about $1,417 next year. The consequences for small businesses would be dire - higher taxes would take critical investment dollars away, leaving less for innovation and expansion, not to mention employee wages and benefits.
We in Maine should be proud of the spirit, the drive, and the determination that has produced such great success stories as Tom's of Maine, Hussey Seating, and D&G Machine Products. We in Washington must adopt policies that will allow many more of these stories to be written.
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