An Act To Allow the City of Bangor To Replace the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center at the Bass Park Complex
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0895
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: FARNHAM, DAMON, DILL, FOSTER, GOODE, JOHNSON, PARKER, RIOUX, STEVENS, WINTLE

Legislative Document 
No. 895 
S.P. 283 
In Senate, March 8, 2011 
An Act To Allow the City of Bangor To Replace the Bangor 
Auditorium and Civic Center at the Bass Park Complex 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
JOSEPH G. CARLETON, JR. 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator FARNHAM of Penobscot. 
Cosponsored by Representative DAMON of Bangor and 
Representatives: DILL of Old Town, FOSTER of Augusta, GOODE of Bangor, JOHNSON of 
Eddington, PARKER of Veazie, RIOUX of Winterport, STEVENS of Bangor, WINTLE of 
Garland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  Certain debt of City of Bangor not subject to limitations on 
municipal debt.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any bonded indebtedness 
incurred by the City of Bangor and financed in whole or in part by the proceeds from a 
tax increment financing district in order to fund a replacement building or structure for 
the existing Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center is not subject to the limitations on 
municipal debt contained in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 5702. 
Sec. 2.  Certain debt of City of Bangor excluded from aggregate value of 
debt in Penobscot County.  Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, 
section 5223, subsection 3, paragraph D, any bonded indebtedness incurred by the City of 
Bangor and financed in whole or in part by the proceeds from a tax increment financing 
district in order to fund a replacement building or structure for the existing Bangor 
Auditorium and Civic Center is excluded from the aggregate value of municipal general 
obligation indebtedness within Penobscot County. 
Sec. 3.  Time limit for construction does not apply.  Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, the 5-year time limit set forth in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
30-A, section 5223, subsection 3, paragraph D, subparagraph (2) does not apply to the 
acquisition, construction and installment of all real and personal property improvements, 
buildings, structures, fixtures and equipment needed to replace the existing Bangor 
Auditorium and Civic Center, regardless of whether the improvements are financed 
through bonded indebtedness incurred by the City of Bangor and financed in whole or in 
part by the proceeds from a tax increment financing district.   
Sec. 4.  Bonds may mature within 30 years from date of issue.  
Notwithstanding the bond financing provisions contained in the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 30-A, section 5231, with respect to any bonded indebtedness incurred by the City of 
Bangor and financed in whole or in part by the proceeds from a tax increment financing 
district in order to fund a replacement building or structure for the Bangor Auditorium 
and Civic Center, the City of Bangor may authorize, issue and sell such bonds, including, 
but not limited to, general obligation or revenue bonds or notes, that mature within 30 
years from the date of issue. 
SUMMARY 
This bill facilitates the City of Bangor's ability to incur bonded indebtedness in order 
to fund a replacement building or structure for the existing Bangor Auditorium and Civic 
Center.  The bill exempts the bonded indebtedness for the project from counting towards 
the city's statutory debt limit and Penobscot County's aggregate value of municipal 
general obligation indebtedness financed by the proceeds from tax increment financing 
districts.  The bill also removes a 5-year deadline for completion of the project and 
extends the 20-year time limit to 30 years for bonded indebtedness incurred by the City of 
Bangor to finance the project.