Resolve, To Improve Regional Transportation in Greater Portland

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  the purposes of this resolve are to facilitate regional bus transportation for university students and Greater Portland residents and to implement a regional bus transportation system by September 1, 2008 with the intention that the system be in place prior to the commencement of that school year; and

Whereas,  it is necessary to allow the regional transportation working group established by this resolve at least one year to devise a plan and strategy for regional bus transportation in the Greater Portland area; and

Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Greater Portland Council of Governments; regional transportation working group established. Resolved: That the Greater Portland Council of Governments shall create a working group for the purposes of merging the Greater Portland Transit District's bus service and the University of Southern Maine’s commuter bus system between the University of Southern Maine’s Portland and Gorham campuses into one transportation system. This new entity must continue to provide transportation to University of Southern Maine students, but must also extend Portland's bus service to the Town of Gorham. The new regional bus transportation system must be in place by September 1, 2008. The considerations of this working group must include parking logistics for users of the new bus transportation system between Gorham and Portland, as well as financial resources that would be necessary to accomplish this merger; and be it further

Sec. 2. Regional transportation working group; membership. Resolved: That the Greater Portland Council of Governments shall invite the participation of representatives of the following entities in the working group established in section 1: the Greater Portland Transit District, the University of Southern Maine, the Department of Transportation, the Town of Gorham, the City of Portland and the City of Westbrook, as well as other entities the Greater Portland Council of Governments determines necessary; and be it further

Sec. 3. Implementation. Resolved: That the Greater Portland Council of Governments must collaborate with the University of Southern Maine to implement the new bus transportation system between Gorham and Portland; and be it further

Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.

ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

Miscellaneous Acts and Resolves

Initiative: Allocations funds on a one-time basis to the University of Southern Maine under the auspices of the University of Maine System for the purposes of implementing an expanded bus transportation system in the Greater Portland Area.

GENERAL FUND	2007-08	2008-09
All Other	$250,000	$0
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$250,000	$0

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this resolve takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

The resolve directs the Greater Portland Council of Governments to establish a regional transportation working group to merge the Greater Portland Transit District bus service with the University of Southern Maine’s commuter bus system between the Portland and Gorham campuses into one transportation system. This resolve allocates funds from the General Fund for the University of Southern Maine to implement an expanded bus system in the Greater Portland area.