year. The assets in the Great Northern bankruptcy estate will not |
be sufficient to cover those taxes. Brascan Corporation, which has |
agreed to purchase the Millinocket and East Millinocket mills, has |
agreed to pay the unpaid property taxes, in part through |
application of business equipment tax reimbursement, or "BETR," |
program reimbursements and tax increment financing payments. Under |
current provisions, the BETR payments would not be received until |
at least August 2004, which would delay payment of taxes until |
then. This bill provides for a loan from the Finance Authority of |
Maine that will be used to pay Millinocket and East Millinocket |
property taxes, with repayment of the loan from BETR payments, and |
ensures that Brascan will receive the BETR payments with respect to |
property taxes it will pay. |