An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Strengthen Maine's Economy and Communities
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1492
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: KATZ, ROTUNDO, ALFOND, FLOOD, BEAULIEU, CAREY, CASAVANT, HOBBINS, JORGENSEN, ROCHELO

Legislative Document 
No. 1492 
S.P. 557 
In Senate, May 2, 2013 
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Strengthen 
Maine's Economy and Communities 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator KATZ of Kennebec. 
Cosponsored by Representative ROTUNDO of Lewiston and 
Senators: President ALFOND of Cumberland, FLOOD of Kennebec, Representatives: 
BEAULIEU of Auburn, CAREY of Lewiston, CASAVANT of Biddeford, HOBBINS of Saco, 
JORGENSEN of Portland, ROCHELO of Biddeford. 
Preamble.  Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in 
accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the 
issuance of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this 
Act, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  Authorization of bonds.  The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the 
direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an 
amount not exceeding $85,000,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Act.  
The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State.  The bonds may not run for 
a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds. 
Sec. 2.  Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State 
shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the 
name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of 
sale and the date when payable. 
Sec. 3.  Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated.  The Treasurer of State 
may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be 
loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State.  The proceeds of the sale of the 
bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State 
upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set 
forth in this Act.  Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project 
in this Act lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of 
general obligation bonds. 
Sec. 4.  Interest and debt retirement.  The Treasurer of State shall pay interest 
due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Act and all sums coming due for payment 
of bonds at maturity. 
Sec. 5.  Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue.  
The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Act must be expended as 
designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies 
and entities set forth in this section. 
Provides funds for development projects for the Communities for Maine's Future 
Program, including waterfront projects, limited to projects that have a one-to-one 
local match and that have a demonstrated link to job growth and economic expansion 
in the communities. 
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY 
DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF 
Communities for Maine's Future 
Program 
Provides funds for capital investment in programs to train workers for which there is 
a demonstrated economic need. 
Provides funds for capital investment in programs to train workers for which there is 
a demonstrated economic need. 
Provides funds for capital investment in programs to train workers for which there is 
a demonstrated economic need. 
Provides funds for research, development and commercialization as prioritized by the 
Office of Innovation's most recent Science and Technology Action Plan for Maine.  
The funds must be allocated to biotechnology, aquaculture and marine technology, 
composite materials technology, environmental technology, advanced technologies 
for forestry and agriculture, information technology and precision manufacturing 
technology through a competitive process and must be awarded to public and private 
entities based in the State to leverage matching funds on at least a one-to-one basis. 
Total 
$20,000,000
Maine Community College System 
Total 
$7,000,000
Maine Maritime Academy 
Total 
$1,000,000
University of Maine System 
Total 
$7,000,000
Maine Technology Institute 
Total 
$20,000,000
Provides funds for railroad upgrades to improve delivery times and lower costs. 
Provides funds for public transportation facilities and equipment upgrades, including 
but not limited to fixed-route bus service and ferries serving islands in the State. 
Provides funds to assist municipalities in providing public trails. 
Provides funds for the revolving loan fund for wastewater treatment facilities, which 
will make the State eligible to secure federal grants. 
Provides funds for the revolving loan fund for drinking water systems, which will 
make the State eligible to secure federal grants. 
Sec. 6.  Contingent upon ratification of bond issue.  Sections 1 to 5 do not 
become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set 
forth in this Act. 
Sec. 7.  Appropriation balances at year-end.  At the end of each fiscal year, all 
unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward.  Bond 
proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the 
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT 
OF 
Total 
$10,000,000
Total 
$9,000,000
Total 
$1,000,000
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, 
DEPARTMENT OF 
Total 
$5,000,000
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 
DEPARTMENT OF 
Total 
$5,000,000
bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general 
obligation bonds. 
Sec. 8.  Bonds authorized but not issued.  Any bonds authorized but not issued 
within 5 years of ratification of this Act are deauthorized and may not be issued, except 
that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend 
the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not 
to exceed 5 years. 
Sec. 9.  Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date.  This Act must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act.  The 
municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns 
and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, 
to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor an $85,000,000 bond issue to provide funds for 
development projects for the Communities for Maine's Future Program; 
for capital investment in programs to train workers for which there is a 
demonstrated need; for research and development and commercialization 
of technology; for infrastructure repairs and improvements for public 
transport and public trails; and for wastewater and safe drinking water 
infrastructure improvements?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question 
and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square 
below the word "Yes" or "No."  The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and 
declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of 
State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature.  The Governor shall 
review the returns.  If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the 
Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Act becomes effective 30 days 
after the date of the proclamation. 
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all 
ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
referendum. 
SUMMARY 
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $85,000,000, will be used to 
provide funds for development projects for the Communities for Maine's Future Program; 
for capital investment in programs to train workers for which there is a demonstrated 
need; for research and development and commercialization of technology; for 
infrastructure repairs and improvements for public transport and public trails; and for 
wastewater and safe drinking water infrastructure improvements.