An Act To Amend the Pine Tree Development Zone Laws To Provide a Better Measurement of Per Capita Income

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

Whereas,  income qualifications for Pine Tree Development Zone benefits are based on the average per capita income of the county in which the business employs the qualifying employee; and

Whereas,  contiguous counties have different average per capita income rates; and

Whereas,  this difference has the largest negative effect, for purposes of qualifying for Pine Tree Development Zone benefits, on those businesses close to the border of the county; and

Whereas,  this legislation ameliorates that effect; 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. 30-A MRSA §5250-I, sub-§18,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 351, §4 and affected by §26, is further amended to read:

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

summary

This bill permits the income calculations that define qualified employees under the Pine Tree Development Zone program to be based on the income average of neighboring counties for a business located near the county borders.