An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Development and Administration of Municipal Budgets in Unorganized Territories
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0397
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: CROCKETT, DOAK, JACKSON, KNIGHT, PETERSON, PATRICK
Amends: 30-A MRSA §7503, 36 MRSA §1604, 36 MRSA §1611

Legislative Document 
No. 397 
H.P. 272 
House of Representatives, February 12, 2013 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Development and 
Administration of Municipal Budgets in Unorganized Territories 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative CROCKETT of Bethel. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: DOAK of Columbia Falls, JACKSON of Oxford, KNIGHT 
of Livermore Falls, PETERSON of Rumford, Senator: PATRICK of Oxford. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  30-A MRSA §7503, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 502, Pt. C, §12, is 
amended to read: 
1.  Procedure.  Before November 7th February 1st of each year, the county 
commissioners of each county shall provide to the members of the county legislative 
delegation fiscal administrator of the unorganized territory a preliminary budget for the 
services to be provided under this chapter to the unorganized territory in the next fiscal 
year.  These preliminary budgets shall must be provided in a form that shows how the 
funds are to be spent for each category of service identified in section 7501 and any 
projected surplus for the year of unorganized territory funds held by the county.  The 
county commissioners shall must provide an opportunity for public comment on the 
preliminary budget at the same time as in a public hearing is held on in one or more 
locations within the county budget, as provided under Part 1, chapter 3, subchapter I in 
the month of December or January preceding the February 1st deadline. 
The budget for the unorganized territory shall be finalized at the same time as the regular 
county budget.  A copy of the finalized budget and an accurate identification of any 
surplus which that can be used to reduce the amount needed to be collected in taxes shall 
must be submitted to the State Tax Assessor and to the fiscal administrator of the 
unorganized territory by January March 1st of each year. 
Sec. 2.  36 MRSA §1604, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 1985, c. 459, 
Pt. C, §14, is amended to read: 
1.  Recommendation to the Legislature.  The fiscal administrator of the 
unorganized territory shall submit to the Legislature, by March April 1st, annually, a bill 
listing the requests of all counties and agencies under this chapter. 
Sec. 3.  36 MRSA §1611, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 624, §1, is 
amended to read: 
A.  A governmental body with the authority to approve the county municipal cost 
component under Title 30-A, chapter 305 may exceed or increase the county growth 
limitation only if that action is approved by a majority of the county budget 
committee or county budget advisory committee and the county commissioners. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the laws governing the development and administration of the 
county portion of municipal cost component budgets for the unorganized territory. 
The bill changes counties' annual deadlines for submitting to state officials their 
unorganized territory municipal cost component budgets from November 7th to February 
1st. 
The bill separates a county's review of its unorganized territory municipal cost 
component budget from its general fund budget review, thus allowing more time for both 
processes. 
The bill also eliminates the role of a county budget committee in approving an excess 
or increase in the county growth limitation factor for the unorganized territory.