Sec. H-1. 30-A MRSA §5681, sub-§5-B, as enacted by IB 2003, c. 2, §3, is amended to read:
5-B. Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services. For the months beginning on or after July 1, 2004 and before the distributions required by subsections 4-A and 4-B, 2% of all receipts transferred each month pursuant to subsection 5 must be deposited in the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services, as established in subsection 3, and distributed to those municipalities and counties that can demonstrate significant and sustainable savings in the cost of delivering local and regional governmental services through collaborative approaches to service delivery, enhanced regional delivery systems, the consolidation of administrative services, the creation of broad-based purchasing alliances or the execution of interlocal agreements.
Sec. H-2. 36 MRSA Pt. 11 is enacted to read:
PART 11
STATE TAX POLICY GOALS
CHAPTER 931
TAX BURDEN REDUCTION GOALS
§7301. Tax burden reduction goals
It is the goal and policy of the State that by 2015 the State's total state and local tax burden be ranked in the middle 1/3 of all states, as determined by the United States Census Bureau's most recent tax burden analysis, adjusted by the assessor to reflect the State's unique expenditure tax relief programs.
It is the goal and policy of the State that additional state funds provided to municipalities through increases in the state share of education funding under the essential programs and services funding model must, to the greatest possible extent, be available for statewide property tax reduction.
§7302. Progress reporting and data
1. Assessment and report. The State Planning Office shall separately assess and report on the progress made by the State, municipalities, counties and school administrative units, respectively, in achieving the tax burden reduction goals established in section 7301.
2. Indicators; annual report. With reference to Title 5, chapter 142; Title 20-A, section 15671, subsection 1; and Title 30-A, sections 706-A and 5721-A, the State Planning Office shall develop and apply specific, quantifiable performance indicators against which the progress in achieving the tax burden reduction goals established in section 7301 can be measured. On January 15, 2006 and annually thereafter, the State Planning Office shall report to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters on the progress made by the State, counties, municipalities and school administrative units, respectively, in achieving the tax burden reduction goals. The report required by this subsection must be comprised of 4 distinct parts reporting on the progress made by the State, municipalities, counties and school administrative units, respectively. The State Planning Office may also include in its report recommendations on alternative strategies to achieve the tax burden reduction goals established in section 7301 that reflect the best practices in this State, other states and other countries.
3. Data. The State Planning Office shall annually collect and analyze data regarding spending and revenues for municipalities, counties and school administrative units. The State Planning Office shall submit an annual report that provides information and analysis regarding government spending and revenue behavior and trends to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters. The report must include information that identifies spending and revenue behavior by individual municipalities, counties and school administrative units. Upon request, other departments of State Government shall cooperate and assist the State Planning Office in the preparation of the report.
Sec. H-3. Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services; distribution. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services shall present a bill to the First Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature by March 1, 2005 that establishes the details of a plan for the design, implementation, management and oversight of the Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 5681, subsection 3, including the distribution of the fund, in the form of competitive grants and planning grants to municipalities, counties and regional government subdivisions that demonstrate significant and sustainable savings in the cost of delivering local and regional governmental services, or, in the case of planning grants, the potential for such savings, through collaborative approaches to service delivery, enhanced regional delivery systems, the consolidation of regional services and the creation of broad-based purchasing alliances.
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