An Act To Strengthen Rural Community Investment
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0790
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: RA YE, PIOTTI, BENOIT, BROMLEY, BRYANT, COURTNEY, DAMON, DIAMOND, DOW, EDMONDS, GOOLEY, HASTINGS, MARTIN, MILLS, MITCHELL, NUTTING, ROSEN, SCHNEIDER, SHERMAN, SMITH, SNOWE-MELLO, STRIMLING, TURNER, WESTON, AYOTTE, BROWNE, CAIN, CARTER, CLARK, CLEARY, CUMMINGS, CURTIS, DUCHESNE, FAIRCLOTH, FINLEY, FISCHER, FITTS, FLOOD, GIFFORD, GILES, GOULD, HOLMAN, JACKSON, JOY, KOFFMAN, LORING, MAZUREK, MILLER, MILLETT, MUSE, PERCY, PERRY, PIEH, PINGREE, RECTOR, SAVIELLO, SCHATZ, TARDY, TIBBETTS

Legislative Document 
No. 790 
S.P.239 
February 15, 2007 
An Act To Strengthen Rural Community Investment 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator RA YE of Washington. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Representative PIOTTI of Unity and Senators: BENOIT ofSagadahoc, 
BROMLEY of Cumberland, BRYANT of Oxford, COURTNEY of York, DAMON of 
Hancock, DIAMOND of Cumberland, DOW of Lincoln, President EDMONDS of 
Cumberland, GOOLEY of Franklin, HASTINGS of Oxford, MARTIN of Aroostook, 
McCORMICK of Kennebec, MILLS of Somerset, MITCHELL of Kennebec, NUTTING of 
Androscoggin, ROSEN of Hancock, SCHNEIDER of Penobscot, SHERMAN of Aroostook, 
SMITH of Piscataquis, SNOWE-MELLO of Androscoggin, STRIMLING of Cumberland, 
TURNER of Cumberland, WESTON of Waldo, Representatives: AYOTTE of Caswell, 
BROWNE of Vassalboro, BRYANT of Windham, CAIN of Orono, CARTER of Bethel, 
CLARK of Millinocket, CLEARY of Houlton, CRA Y of Palmyra, CROS THW AITE of 
Ellsworth, Speaker CUMMINGS of Portland, CURTIS of Madison, DUCHESNE of Hudson, 
FAIRCLOTH of Bangor, FINLEY of Skowhegan, FISCHER of Presque Isle, FITTS of 
Pittsfield, FLOOD of Winthrop, GIFFORD of Lincoln, GILES of Belfast, GOULD of South 
Berwick, HOLMAN of Fayette, JACKSON of Allagash, JOY of Crystal, KOFFMAN of Bar 
Harbor, LORING of the Penobscot Nation, MacDONALD of Boothbay, MAZUREK of 
Rockland, McFADDEN of Dennysville, McLEOD of Lee, MILLER of Somerville, MILLETT 
of Waterford, MILLS of Farmington, MUSE of Fryeburg, PERCY of Phippsburg, PERRY of 
Calais, PIEH of Bremen, PINGREE of North Haven, RECTOR of Thomaston, SAVIELLO of 
Wilton, SCHATZ of Blue Hill, SMITH of Monmouth, TARDY of Newport, TIBBETTS of 
Colum~ia, \VATSON of Bath. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. Strengthen rural development. 
Maine Rural Partners, a nonprofit 
organization that is Maine's federally recognized state rural development council, shall: 
1. Complete pilot projects underway in the Town of Strong and Washington County 
to build innovative strategic plans and to create community investment mechanisms; 
2. Prepare an analysis of the potential for attracting and leveraging investment in 
rural Maine communities; and 
3. Make recommendations to the Legislature and Governor regarding methods of 
encouraging such investment. 
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
MAINE RURAL PARTNERS (NEW) 
Maine Rural Partners (NEW) 
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds to match federal and private resources to be used to 
support Maine Rural Partners in carrying out its mission of strengthening rural 
community capacity and exploring innovative community investment mechanisms. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires Maine Rural Partners to: 
2007-08 
$150,000 
$150,000 
2008-09 
$150,000 
$150,000 
I .. Complete pilot projects underway in the Town of Strong and Washington County 
to build innovative strategic plans and to create community investment mechanisms; 
2. Prepare an analysis of the potential for attracting and leveraging investment in 
rural Maine communities; and 
3. Make recommendations to the Legislature and Governor regarding methods of 
encouraging such investment. 
This bill also makes ongoing General Fund appropnatlOns of $150,000 per year 
beginning in fiscal year 2007-08 to be used to support Maine Rural Partners in carrying 
out its mission of strengthening rural community capacity and exploring innovative 
community investment mechanisms. 
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