An Act To Establish Municipal Cost Components for Unorganized Territory Services To Be Rendered in Fiscal Year 2008-09 and To Require Notation of Tax Enhancement Programs Approved by the County Commissioners

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

Whereas,  prompt determination and certification of the municipal cost components in the Unorganized Territory Tax District are necessary to the establishment of a mill rate and the levy of the Unorganized Territory Educational and Services Tax; 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,

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §246, sub-§2, ¶B,  as enacted by PL 1985, c. 459, Pt. C, §1, is amended to read:

Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §246, sub-§3,  as enacted by PL 1985, c. 459, Pt. C, §1, is amended to read:

Sec. 3. Municipal cost components for services rendered. In accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, chapter 115, the Legislature determines that the net municipal cost component for services and reimbursements to be rendered in fiscal year 2008-09 is as follows:

Audit - Fiscal Administration				$198,294
Education				11,883,253
Forest Fire Protection				160,000
Human Services - General Assistance				62,000
Property Tax Assessment - Operations				799,852
Maine Land Use Regulation Commission - Operations				404,589
TOTAL STATE AGENCIES				$13,507,988
County Reimbursements for Services:
	Aroostook			$822,656
	Franklin			653,984
	Hancock			164,925
	Kennebec			881
	Oxford			459,128
	Penobscot			857,695
	Piscataquis			1,145,517
	Somerset			864,474
	Washington			686,371
TOTAL COUNTY SERVICES				$5,655,631
TOTAL REQUIREMENTS				$19,163,619

COMPUTATION OF ASSESSMENT
Requirements						$19,163,619
Less Deductions:
	General -
		State Revenue Sharing				$290,000
		Homestead Reimbursement				100,000
		Miscellaneous Revenues				50,000
		Transfer from Undesignated Fund Balance				3,000,000
TOTAL						$3,440,000
	Educational -
		Land Reserved Trust				$100,000
		Tuition/Travel				250,000
		Miscellaneous				5,000
		Special - Teacher Retirement				200,000
TOTAL						$555,000
TOTAL DEDUCTIONS						($3,995,000)
TAX ASSESSMENT						$15,168,619

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

SUMMARY

This bill establishes municipal cost components for state and county services provided to the unorganized territory that would be paid for by a municipality. The municipal cost components constitute the property tax for the unorganized territory.

In addition, this bill requires that the fiscal administrator of the unorganized territory include in both the report and proposed legislation submitted annually to the Legislature a notation as to any tax enhancement programs that have been approved by the county commissioners.