Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §3013 is enacted to read:

§3013.__Initiative to impose limit on property taxes

1.__Petition by voters.__On the written petition of a number of voters in a municipality equal to at least 10% of the number of votes cast in the municipality at the last gubernatorial election, the legislative body of the municipality shall consider an ordinance to impose a limit on property taxes as proposed in the petition.__The date each signature on the petition was made must be written next to the signature on the petition, and no signature older than one year is valid.__The ordinance thus proposed, unless enacted without change by the legislative body of the municipality, must be submitted to the voters in the municipality together with any amended form, substitute, or recommendation of the legislative body of the municipality, and in such manner that the voters can choose between the competing measures or reject both.__When there are competing proposals and neither receives a majority of the votes given for or against both, the one receiving the most votes must, at the next municipal election to be held not less than 60 days after the first vote, be submitted by itself if it receives more than 1/3 of the votes given for and against both.__If the ordinance initiated is enacted by the legislative body of the municipality without change, it may not go to a referendum vote unless in pursuance of a demand made in accordance with this subsection.__The municipal officers may order a special election on any measure that is subject to a vote of the people.

2.__Timing of elections.__The municipal officers shall order any measure proposed to the legislative body of the municipality pursuant to subsection 1, and not enacted by that body without change, referred to the voters of the municipality at an election to be held in November of the year in which the petition is filed.

3.__Effective date of measures approved by voters.__Any measure referred to the voters of the municipality and approved by a majority of the votes cast must, unless a later date is specified in the measure, take effect 30 days after the municipal officers declare the result of the vote.

This section does not apply to a municipality that has a provision for an initiative by voters in that municipality in the laws of that municipality.