122nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 1904 LR 2642(02)
An Act To Protect Businesses from Unnecessary Eminent Domain Takings
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "   "
Committee: Judiciary
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Minority Report
   
             
Fiscal Note
Projections Projections
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09
Net Cost (Savings)
Highway Fund $0 $354,978 $382,760 $390,707
Appropriations/Allocations
Highway Fund $0 $354,978 $382,760 $390,707
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements
This bill may increase the number of civil suits filed in the court system.
The collection of additional filing fees may increase General Fund revenue by minor amounts.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Allowing an expedited de novo review of proposed eminent domain proceedings will result in significant additional Highway Fund expenses for the Department of Transportation.  Based on the current level of approximately 1,000 eminent domain proceedings that the department is engaged in on an annual basis, the department estimates that 10 of these actions would be challenged through the expedited de novo review process.  To deal with the additional time needed to process these cases, the department will need one additional Attorney position and one-half of an Engineer position at a cost of $154,978 in fiscal year 2006-07. In addition, beginning in fiscal year 2006-07, due to inflationary costs, the delay of 10 associated highway improvement projects will add an estimated $200,000 in annual Highway Fund costs .