An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study the Costs of Providing Certain Services in the Unorganized Territories
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0885
Committee Amendment CA_A_H729 (House)
Amends: 12 MRSA §685-G, 30-A MRSA §7

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 670, L.D. 885, Bill, "An Act To 
Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study the Costs of Providing 
Certain Services in the Unorganized Territories" 
Amend the bill in Part B by striking out all of sections 4 and 5 and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. B-4. 12 MRSA §685-G is enacted to read: 
§685-G. Funding 
1. 
Unorganized territories. 
Beginning with fiscal year 2009-10, funding for 
services and activities of the commission for planning, pemitting and ensuring 
compliance in the unorganized territories must be assessed and allocated to the 
unorganized territories through a fee equal to .013% of the most recent equalized state 
valuation established by the State Tax Assessor. This fee must be collected through the 
municipal cost component under Title 36, chapter 115. 
2. 
Towns and plantations. 
Beginning with fiscal year 2009-10, a town or a 
plantation in the commission's jurisdiction that elects not to administer land use controls 
at the local level but receives commission services or a town or plantation with a portion 
of its land under the commission's jurisdiction and receiving commission services, 
including planning, permitting and ensuring compliance, must be assessed a fee equal to 
.0 I % of the most recent equalized state valuation established by the State Tax Assessor 
for that town or plantation or that portion of a town or plantation under the commission's 
jurisdiction. The State Tax Assessor shall issue a warrant to each such town or plantation 
no later than March I st of each year. The warrant is payable on demand. Interest charges 
on unpaid fees begin on June 30th of each year and are compounded monthly at the 
interest rate for unpaid property tax as established by the State Tax Assessor for the 
unorganized territory. For any assessment that remains unpaid as of September I st of the 
year in which it is due, state revenue sharing to that town or plantation must be reduced 
by an amount equal to any unpaid warrant amount plus any accrued interest, until the 
amount is paid. These fees must be deposited to the General Fund. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "If .. to H.P. 670, L.D. 885 
3. Report. By January 15, 2009 and annually thereafter, the commission shall report 
to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over conservation 
matters and taxation matters regarding commission funding and other financial matters. 
The report must cover the 5 previous fiscal years and must identify General Fund 
appropriations and other resources, amounts assessed and collected from the assessments 
required under this section and former section 685-E and amounts assessed and collected 
from other fees and penalties assessed under this chapter. The joint standing committees 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over conservation matters and taxation matters shall 
jointly review the distribution of funding and other assessments among the General Fund, 
unorganized territories and towns and plantations under the commission's jurisdiction and 
may submit legislation considered necessary as a result of the commission's report to the 
Sec. B-S. 
Report. 
By January 15, 2009, the Maine Land Use Regulation 
Commission shall report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over conservation matters and taxation matters making recommendations, 
including legislation if necessary, to enforce payment of the assessments required under 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 685-G, subsection 2. The joint standing 
committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over conservation matters and taxation 
matters shall jointly review the recommendations and may submit legislation considered 
necessary as a result of the commission's report to the First Regular Session of the 124th 
Legislature. ' 
Amend the bill in Part B in section 6 in the last line (page 3, line 5 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "2008" and inserting the following: '2009' 
Amend the bill in Part C in section I in subsection 5 in the next to the last line (page 
3, line 13 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "2008-09" and inserting the following: 
'2009-10' 
Amend the bill in Part C in section 2 in subsection 4 in the next to the last line (page 
3, line 21 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "2008-09" and inserting the following: 
'2009-10' 
Amend the bill in Part C in section 3 in the 6th line (page 3, line 28 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "2008" and inserting the following: '2009' 
Amend the bill in Part C in section 3 in the last line (page 3, line 33 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: 
"Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature" and 
inserting the following: 'First Regular Session of the 124th Legislature' 
Amend the bill in Part F by striking out all of section 4. 
Amend the bill by inserting after Part F the following: 
'PARTG 
Sec. G-l. 30-A MRSA §7S01, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 
and Pt. C, § I 06 and amended by PL 1989, c. 6; c. 9, §2; and c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is 
further amended to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT./J "to H.P. 670, L.D. 885 
3. Roads and bridges. Construction, repair and maintenance of roads and bridges, 
including snow removal, except that the county commissioners may not expend money 
for improvements, maintenance or snow removal on any privately owned road within the 
unorganized territory in which the county has not acquired any property interest. The 
county commissioners may enact an ordinance to establish road standards for the purpose 
of preserving, protecting and maintaining roads in which the county has acquired a 
property interest;' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, changes the fonnula 
for assessments for services of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission by reducing 
the percentage of state valuation assessed to the unorganized territories to .013%, restores 
the current assessment percentage of .0 I % of state valuation for towns and plantations 
and provides that a report on funding be submitted annually. 
The amendment delays by one year the provisions relating to transportation and 
reimbursement of transportation of students. 
The amendment adds a provision authorizing the county commissioners to enact an 
ordinance related to road construction, repair and maintenance on roads in the 
unorganized territory in which the county has a property interest. 
The amendment also changes some dates to reflect implementation timetables 
anticipated in the bill. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 02/22/08 Mac:.. 
LD885 
LR 714(03) 
An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Study the Costs of Providing 
Certain Services in the Unorganized Territories 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Revenue 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "11" 
Committee: Taxation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
2007-08 
$0 
$0 
2008-09 
$0 
$0 
Projections 
2009-10 
$4,167 
($4,167) 
Projections 
2010-11 
$4,167 
($4,167) 
Changing the method of assessing areas under the jurisdiction of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission for the 
cost of providing services for the unorganized territory will result in an increase in General Fund revenue of $15, 113 
annually beginning in fiscal year 2009-10. This change will increase the amount the unorganized territory pays to the 
General Fund for Land Use Regulation Commission services. Also, this legislation does not permit reimbursement to 
parents for student transportation under certain conditions beginning in fiscal year 2009-10. This change will decrease 
the amount the unorganized territory pays to the General Fund by $19,280 annually beginning in fiscal year 2009-10. 
The net effect of these changes will be a decrease in General Fund revenue of $4, 167 annually beginning in fiscal year 
2009-10. 
Legislative costs associated with the joint review of certain information by the Taxation Committee and the 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee will be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. Additional 
costs to the Depaliment of Education to conduct the required review and prepare the required report can be absorbed 
within existing budgeted resources. 
LR0714(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1