Bill Dohmen.

Apr 05, 2026

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Shenna Bellows Supports Small Business

Small businesses in Maine need Shenna Bellows to become our next governor. As a retired Philadelphia commercial banker, having worked with companies across eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, I know the importance of a strong business community to support employment and economic growth. Since my retirement and move to Maine, I devoted nearly two decades to counseling small business owners in Hancock County through the Ellsworth office of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), and learned of the challenges they encounter as they work to realize their dreams. Shenna Bellows has a proven and impressive record of supporting small business development throughout her career, understanding the frustrations and working to remove obstacles to successful growth.

The daughter of a self-employed carpenter in Hancock, Shenna grew up watching her parents cope with government paperwork and tax filings. Then as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama, Shenna launched a micro-lending program for artisans, ran a program dedicated to economic education and support for women, and developed a high-school junior achievement program to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs.

During her years in the Maine state senate, Shenna championed bills to promote Maine-based companies and products when taxpayer dollars are allocated, and supported emerging Maine industries that create good-paying jobs. She has advocated raising the minimum wage in Maine, tying it to inflation. During the COVID pandemic, she supported bills to expand unemployment benefits and paid time-off so workers could recover from health issues. Shenna has consistently fought to lower property taxes, including those paid by small business owners as well as middle-income families, replacing the revenues with higher tax rates on larger corporations, capital gains and income of those in the higher tax brackets.

Though her current role as Secretary of State does not directly impact small business, Shenna has initiated a program through her department to advise business owners on compliance with new federal reporting requirements. Among her goals when elected are expanding health-care benefits and reducing their costs so that business owners can more readily offer them to employees. She also supports capping utility rates, which have been a rapidly growing expense for businesses and individuals alike.

In short, Shenna has been a dedicated supporter of small business throughout our state, demonstrating an intelligent understanding of challenges, then fighting for practical programs and solutions. She clearly believes that the role of government is not to erect barriers to success, but to clear the road and pave the path to growth. Our state needs to elect Shenna as our next governor, for more lucrative jobs, economic growth, and a brighter future for Maine.

Bill Dohmen, resident of Bar Harbor