An Act To Pi~omote Economic Development in the Greater Portiand Region
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1054
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: EBERLE, DAVIS, COHEN, DILL, FLAHERTY, MORRISON, NELSON, PEOPLES, BARTLETT, BLISS

FIRST REGULA~ SESSION-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 1054 
H.P.729 
House of Representatives, March 17, 2009 
An Act To Pi~omote Economic Development in the Greater Portiand 
Region 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative EBERLE of South Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator DAVIS of Cumberland and 
'I7/;U~d 1??11lilC~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: COHEN of Portland, DILL of Cape Elizabeth, FLAHERTY of Scarborough, 
MORRISON of South Portland, NELSON of Falmouth, PEOPLES of Westbrook, Senators: 
BARTLETT of Cumberland, BLISS of Cumberland. 
PrilllcU 011 n.:c)<clt-tl pal-ll'r 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. P&SL i945, c. 123,§2, as amended by P&SL 1951, c. 204, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
Sec. 2. Powers. The said corporation shall have the power, within the confines'of 
Portland arui~ South Portland, Westbrook, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, to 
acquire, manage, .operate or lease any business, facility structure, building, machinery or 
equipment owned by the federal government or any agency thereof, which may hereafter· 
become surplus property and not needed for any function of said federal government, 
including, but not restricting the power aforesaid, the utilization of shipyards, wharves, 
trackage, dry-docks and any facilities useful or necessary in connection therewith, and 
shall also have the power to acquire, build; manage, operate, rent or lease, other 
properties both real and personal, within said confines of Portland arui~ South Portland~ 
Westbrook, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, and for those purposes to 
purchase, lease, hold, own; manage, control, sell, mortgage, lease or let land, buildings, 
real estate and rights in real estate, and all manner of personal property, and to accept 
gifts thereof in trust, or otherwise. 
. 
Sec; 2. lP&SL 1945, c; 123, §5, as amended by P&SL 1951, c. 204, §3, is further 
amended to read: 
Sec. ·5 .. Collection and disposition of income. The corporation shall have 
power to fix and receive by' private contract or regularly established fees, revenue for the 
use, occupation or enj oyment of any of its property, and shall devote the same exclusively 
to the management, repair, replacement; construction, and reconstruction, purchase arid 
general development of its propelty within the scope of its powers as herein defined, and 
shall render an accountthereof annually to the governor and his council. It shall be the 
policy of the said corporation to establish as rental for the facilities to be leased by it a 
sum which will be in parity with comparable facilities established by private enterprises 
so as to prevent any undue competitive condition which would tend to handicap, destroy 
or put out of business existing competitive comparable facilities. The corporation may 
transfer or assign any funds or other assets in this section that are needed to manage the 
corporation's affairs to a nonprofit corporation that has a mission consistent with the 
corporation of continuing economic development efforts in Greater Portland. 
Sec. 3. Conduct of business. Notwithstanding Resolve 2007, c. 224, the G·reater 
Portland Public Development Commission may expend funds, incur new liabilities and 
obligations and conduct current and new business activities in carrying out its powers. 
SUMMARY 
This bill modifies the charter of the Greater Portland Public Development 
Commission by allowing it to conduct its regular business and transfer its funds and its 
assets to a nonprofit corporation that has the same mission as the commission and to add 
the municipalities of Westbrook, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough to. the 
geographic area served by the commission. 
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