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Construction Industry Leaders Urge Approval for Housing Bonds, Job Measures

Tom Porter
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MPBN
Kevin French

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine - Construction industry leaders gathered at a building site in South Portland this morning to urge lawmakers to support measures which they say would create much-needed jobs in the sector.

The Maine construction industry, they say, has lost nearly 10,000 construction in the last nine years.
 

Credit Tom Porter / MPBN
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MPBN
The construction site of a low-income housing complex in South Portland.

Among the measures they say might help: a $65 million bond proposal to fund the construction of senior housing projects in the state.  Kevin French, co-owner of Landry-French Construction in Scarborough, says the bill would take care of more than one issue.

"It creates affordable housing for seniors, and creates many needed jobs for our industry," French said.

They're also calling for more bond money to invest in transportation infrastructure, particularly in Maine's roads and bridges, which national studies have rated as being in poor condition.