| 122nd MAINE LEGISLATURE | |||||||||
| LD 1068 | LR 0766(01) | ||||||||
| An Act To Strengthen Maine's Small Business Economy | |||||||||
| Fiscal Note for Original Bill | |||||||||
| Sponsor: Sen. Bromley of Cumberland | |||||||||
| Committee: Taxation | |||||||||
| Fiscal Note Required: Yes | |||||||||
| Fiscal Note | |||||||||
| Projections | Projections | ||||||||
| 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | ||||||
| Net Cost (Savings) | |||||||||
| General Fund | $49,439 | $61,584 | $65,547 | $69,878 | |||||
| Appropriations/Allocations | |||||||||
| General Fund | $49,439 | $61,584 | $65,547 | $69,878 | |||||
| Fiscal Detail and Notes | |||||||||
| The Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Labor will require General Fund appropriations totaling $7,849,439 in fiscal year 2005-06 and $8,361,584 in fiscal year 2006-07 to support an ongoing small business development infrastructure. General Fund appropriations already included in the bill total $7,800,000 in fiscal year 2005-06 and $8,300,000 in fiscal year 2006-07. Deappropriations of equal amounts to the Business Equipment Tax Reimbursement (BETR) program are in the bill to offset the appropriations. It should be noted that the current services budget for the 2006-2007 biennium, PL 2005, c. 12 does not include any General Fund appropriations for BETR as that legislation requires the reimbursement to be reflected as an income tax offset. This bill does not make any changes to the BETR program that would effect its current projected cost. | |||||||||
| This bill includes General Fund appropriations of $7,434,375 and $7,910,937 in fiscal years 2005-06 and 2006-07, respectively, for the Department of Economic and Community Development. The Department indicates it would need additional headcount in the following areas: | |||||||||
| 1. One Development Project Manager position to operate the Women's Business Center. | |||||||||
| 2. One Tourism specialist position (it is unclear whether the intent is to establish a Tourism Specialist position within the Department or to provide funds for a small business counselor for tourism businesses. If it is the latter, no additional headcount would be needed.) | |||||||||
| 3. One Development Project Officer position to provide MaineBizWorks on-line education (it is unclear whether the intent is for the Department to implement the education program internally or to contract with an outside organization. If it is the latter, no additional headcount would be needed.) | |||||||||
| 4. One Policy Development Specialist position to serve as a business ombudsman. | |||||||||
| Additionally, the Department will require ongoing General Fund appropriations of $49,439 in fiscal year 2005-06 and $61,584 in fiscal year 2005-07 for one Accountant II position and related all other to provide the additional accounting and tracking support required as a result of the Department receiving and administering the additional funds. | |||||||||
| This bill includes General Fund appropriations of $365,625 in fiscal year 2005-06 and $389,063 in fiscal year 2006-07 for the Maine Center for Women, Work and Community program within the Department of Labor. | |||||||||