From Maine FastFile

Filing your Maine Property Tax and Rent Refund application is easier than ever with Maine FastFile electronic filing.

Use the internet to I-file your Maine Property Tax and Rent Refund application for free beginning August 2, 2010 for Property Tax assessed in 2009 or Rent paid during 2009.

Check it out at www.maine.gov/revenue.

An announcement from the Scarborough Economic Development Corporation:

Dear Scarborough business/organization/community member,

In case you were not already aware, the Town of Scarborough’s Ordinance Committee has had before it the past couple of months, an ordinance dealing with the sale of secondhand goods, the so-called Secondhand Dealers Ordinance.

In an effort to ensure the process is fair and all affected parties are given a chance to express their opinion/suggestion as to what language the ordinance should contain, the Scarborough Police Department will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @4:30pm in their classroom at the Public Safety Building on Route 1.

So, if you would be affected by such an ordinance, or you know someone in Scarborough who would be, please consider attending, or forwarding this e-mail onto them so they can attend.  If you cannot attend, but would still like to express your opinion, you are welcome to contact Police Chief Robert Moulton or Police Captain David Grover as well (883-6361).

The intent is to have a draft ordinance before the Ordinance Committee at the end of September 2010.
Thank you for reading about the Secondhand Dealers Ordinance meeting on August 31.  If you have any questions, please let us know.  We will be in touch again soon.

Sincerely,

Scarborough Economic Development Corporation
(SEDCO)

SEDCO is the economic development office for Scarborough.  We are a non-profit development corporation that works to support existing Scarborough businesses and to bring new businesses to town.
Our mission is to support economic and business development to improve the quality of life in Scarborough by expanding the town’s tax and employment base.

From the Maine Public Utilities Commission:

New Electric Standard Offer Prices for Most Commercial and Industrial Customers Remain Stable

Augusta, Maine—The Maine Public Utilities Commission today accepted bids for new standard offer energy supply prices for Maine medium and large class commercial and industrial customers. The participation of several bidders resulted in lively bidding. The new prices go into effect September 1, 2010 and are effective for six months.

For medium and large commercial/industrial customers in the territory served by Bangor Hydro-Electric (BHE), the new standard offer prices are 6.8 cents and 7.8 cents per kilowatt hour (kwh) respectively.   In the territory served by Central Maine Power (CMP), the new prices are 7.1 cents and 7.6 cents per kwh for medium and large commercial/industrial customers respectively. These new prices apply to customers who have not negotiated their own power supply arrangements.

“Standard offer electricity prices for most commercial and industrial customers will remain relatively stable—edging only slightly higher with 1-2% increases nearly across the classes starting in September. Though large industrial customers in BHE’s territory will see an 11% increase, for the most part, the overall stability of these new prices will benefit commercial and industrial customers as they plan for electricity costs in the next half year,” said Commission Chair Jack Cashman.

The names of the suppliers selected will be withheld for two weeks, allowing time for power supply arrangements to be finalized.

Background: Maine’s retail electricity access rules require the Commission to ensure that standard offer service for electricity supply is available to all customers in Maine. The Commission is responsible for soliciting standard offer service from licensed competitive electricity providers through a competitive bid process. Electricity customers receive standard offer service if they have not purchased supply from another retail supplier or through an aggregator.  Total electricity sales to these commercial/industrial customers last year were about 5.7 million MWhs, of which 25%-30% currently receives standard offer service.

For more information on standard offer and energy delivery rates, go online to: http://www.maine.gov/mpuc/electricity/rfps/so_solicitations.shtml .

Maine Voices: Small businesses using clean energy

From the July 12th Edition of the Portland Press Herald

BRUNSWICK - Across the country, entrepreneurs and small business owners play a critical role in guiding our nation toward a new, clean energy future.

It’s their innovation and ideas that develop next-generation technologies, create new green jobs, and drive economic growth while positioning the United States as a leader in this emerging industry.

Here in Maine, more than 700 businesses are finding new ways to harness the power of solar, wind, hydro, biomass and other renewable forms of energy.

These firms are hiring Mainers at a quick pace: Clean energy jobs grew more than 20 percent in our state from 1998 to 2007 — nearly seven times the overall growth rate of jobs in Maine, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. To accelerate that growth, the Recovery Act included more than $80 billion for energy efficiency and clean energy programs.

Here in Maine, the Recovery Act is creating hundreds of jobs to weatherize about 4,000 low-income homes. Also, wind energy companies have formed a consortium with the University of Maine to help design, test and develop floating wind turbine platforms over the next 10 years.

Today, Congress is working on a comprehensive energy and climate bill that will create an environment for small firms to drive innovation and create even more good jobs. Members from all sides are contributing ideas, including investments in cleaner and more efficient energy sources and technologies.

And, small businesses in the clean energy sector are in a prime position to take advantage of these investments. They generate 15 times more patents-per-dollar in research and development than large firms. They also employ more scientists and engineers than our universities and federal laboratories combined.

In recent years, these innovative small firms have worked tirelessly to plant the seeds for a green energy economy in America.

They’ve invented some of the world’s most cutting-edge technologies, and they’ve also begun to install, maintain and update these technologies.

In short, they are creating a new, homegrown industry while providing good new jobs in places like Maine.

Comprehensive energy legislation will allow these small businesses to do even more by building on the commitments that this administration has already made.

For example, the Small Business Administration’s recovery loans have already helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners who are working to install solar panels, wind turbines and more.

We know that this transformation to clean, renewable energy isn’t going to be easy, but — as the human, environmental and economic tragedy currently taking place along our nation’s Gulf Coast reminds us — it is absolutely necessary.

Small businesses that specialize in green energy can and should play a leading role in moving us forward. If we give them the right tools and incentives, they will ensure that the next generation is not held hostage to energy sources from the 20th century.

This is our chance to reduce America’s dependence on fossil fuels and put us on a path toward energy security and a clean energy future.

And, if we seize this moment, we will not only reduce threats to our environment, but we will also help more American small-business owners achieve their dream and create good-paying, 21st-century jobs in communities across the country.

Karen Mills of Brunswick is the administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Statement from Sean Flaherty, State Representative, Endorsing Libby Mitchell For Governor:

With the Democratic Primary just days away, I wanted to publicly support who I believe will be the best Governor for the difficult four years ahead in our State.  Maine needs an experienced visionary that can lead our State in job creation, innovative strategies, and good common sense.  With working class values, a strong conviction for doing the best for all of our citizens, and the experience of getting things done, I am proud to support Elizabeth “Libby” Mitchell.

I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Libby lead our State as President of the Senate over the last two years.  She governs with grace and dignity, but more importantly, she’s a fighter.  She’s fought for affordable green housing, she’s fought for energy efficiency, and she’s fought for working families.  No better example exists than her efforts to pass two important pieces of economic development and recession recovery packages, namely, the Tax Reform package and Bond package, both of which are on the ballot Tuesday.

Tax Reform is vitally necessary for our economic recovery.  Should Question on fail, and our Tax Reform become law, 90% of Mainer’s will pay less taxes.  What’s important to note, is that the Tax Reform package serves as an economic stimulant.  More than 90% of Maine workers are employed by small businesses, moreover, most small businesses pay the majority of their taxes through the owner/operators personal income tax.  By reducing the taxes that small business pay by more than 20%, business owners and entrepreneurs will have more money to reinvest, rehire, and expand their operations.

Further, the Bond Package will put thousands of Maine workers back to work, right now!  The investment in roads, bridges, transportation will prove valuable to all Mainers, not just construction workers.  Investment in energy efficiency will help Mainers put more money in their pockets by saving on monthly energy bills.  Investment in renewable technologies will spur our emerging Green Economy and utilize our State’s natural resources.  And investment in capitol to our small businesses will grow our job market.

But Libby offers more than just a vision for our State’s economic success.  She brings unique leadership skill set that has set her apart from her rival democrats in this race.  Libby led the important civil rights fight for Marriage Equality through the Maine Legislature and onto the Governor’s desk.  She made tough, but important choices that helped our State balance our budget, twice, in the most responsible manor.  And perhaps most importantly, Libby is the first women in America to be charged with Presiding over both a State House and State Senate, proving to her closest colleagues that she has the skills necessary to move our State in the right direction.

On Tuesday, I’ll be voting for Libby Mitchell because she has a proven track record of fighting for Maine’s working families, an unparalleled vision for our state, and the hands-on experience to continue to get things done.

Flaherty Meets with White House Officials, Young Leaders in Washington
200 young elected officials convened to discuss policy and leadership at the Washington, DC Conference

SCARBOROUGH – Sean Flaherty, State Representative from Scarborough, met with White House officials, members of Congress, and other national leaders to share ideas along with more than 200 other young elected officials at last week’s convening of the national Young Elected Officials Network in Washington, DC.

Flaherty and fellow Young Elected Officials (YEO) Network members were briefed on national issues by White House staff members including Michael Strautmanis, Chief of Staff to Obama’s advisor Valerie Jarrett; Brian Deese, Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, Celia Muñoz, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Economic Affairs; and Brian Bond, Deputy Director of the Office of Public Engagement; and by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr.

They also shared policy ideas, leadership strategies, and best practices with each other, and participated in three days of issues workshops ranging from discussions about health care implementation in the states to forums on re-thinking the public education system.

“Maine is doing tremendous things with our emerging Green economy, which was great to share, but what I was able to take away, was helpful experiences from what other States are tackling,” Flaherty noted, “Specifically, what is working and what’s not!  We have a ‘Maine way’ of doing things, but we need to be connected to what else is happening nationally, and globally.”

Flaherty is completing his first term in the Legislature, having served on the Utilities and Energy Committee, Flaherty has been working on renewable power and job creation for the “green” sector over the last two years.   He noted that Maine, far and away, is leading most other States in renewable technology, efficiency, and conservation, but that other States are catching on quickly.

“It was truly inspiring to meet with all of these motivated and innovative elected officials and to take our ideas and concerns as young, progressive leaders to the White House,” said Andrew Gillum, Tallahassee City Commissioner and executive director of the YEO Network, “Each of us works every day to make our communities safer, fairer, and more prosperous. By gathering to share ideas, we can empower each other to bring positive change to communities across the country.”

Sean Flaherty, a Scarborough native, also serves as State Representative for District 127, which includes part of Scarborough.  He can be reached online at www.seanflaherty.org, via e-mail at RepSean.Flaherty@legislature.maine.gov, or by phone at 207-450-4188.

Text of speech explaining Question 1 by House Majority Leader Piotti to the State Democratic Convention:

I was reluctant to talk in this setting about Question 1, as it is a highly complicated piece of public policy; but I’ve been urged to do so, because there is so much misinformation out there.

The historic bill that passed last June-and that will only go into effect if a NO vote prevails this June-was the number one priority of the House Democratic Caucus.  I know that my name is often associated with this law, but the truth is that this bill was collectively advocated by practically every member of the caucus. I’ve never seen such passion for an issue by so many Democratic lawmakers.

Why has this been the caucus’s top priority? Because it responds to the caucus’s top frustration-that our antiquated tax system is not only broken, but broken in a way that prevents the Legislature from making other needed strides forward.

For each of the eight years I’ve served in the Legislature, we’ve cut the budget, simply to balance the budget, because revenues had fallen and we needed to make up the difference.  We measure success by how much we can mitigate cuts-cuts that hurt people, and stifle state investment in education, and roads, and quality of place.  Yes, I’m proud of how we have creatively mitigated the pain of those cuts. But I’d much rather be in a place where we didn’t need to make the cuts!

To get there, we need a new revenue collection system.

We can no longer continue a system where (in good years) 40% of sales tax revenue comes from the sale of just two items (new cars and building supplies). This revenue falls off to close to nothing when the economy falls-exactly when we need the revenue most.

We can no longer continue a system that is burdened by one of the narrowest sale tax bases in the country, taxing just 24 of the 160 categories of items taxes national.  This makes our tax revenues more volatile that they need to be.

We can no longer continue a system that has one of the lowers meals and lodging taxes in the nation, especially since 40% of Maine’s tax is paid by non-residents.

We are living with the same outdated tax system we essentially had in the1960s. The world had changed since then. It’s time for our tax system to change.

The new tax law does four things:

·       It will help stabilize state revenues, so that we are not forced to deal with the same kind of budget shortfalls we’ve had to during recent years.   This will help all Mainers, but especially those who are in greatest need.

·       The law will give a little push to our economy at a time when we desperately need it.  Most of Maine’s small business will see a benefit, and the State Planning Office estimates that the new law will create 750 new jobs.

·       The law will lower the tax burden on Maine people by about $50 million, putting a little more money in our pockets.  We do this without reducing any state revenues. We do it by having non-residents pay a little more.

·       And finally, the law shares the benefits fairly.  When all is said and done, every income groups in Maine-whether low, middle or high income-will pay essentially the same the proportion of taxes as they do now. Yet because the tax burden on residents drops by $50 million, every group wins.

I say that every group will pay “essentially” the same because the new tax code is actually more progressive, so that low and middle income people receive more of the benefit, relative to their income.
A lot of people ask-how can you lower the income tax (which is somewhat progressive) and raise the sales taxes (which are generally regressive) and end up with a new system that is more progressive.

The answer is this:  The new income tax system is so much more progressive, that even after any new sales taxes are added back, the overall tax code (combining income and sales tax) is slightly more progressive.

Beyond that, practically every low and middle income person will see a NET tax cut AFTER paying any new sales taxes.

What I think confuses people about the new law is they hear about a drop from 8.5% to 6.5% and assume they everyone will pay 6.5 and that the rich will benefit the most.  But that is not the case.

Most Mainers will receive a household credit that will reduce their tax burden well below the 6.5% rate, and low and middle income people will receive the largest credits.  And for those people who pay little or no income tax, the credits are refundable, so that they will get money back to offset any sales tax increases.

Yes, it’s complicated, as a lot of public policy is. That’s why you elect us-to deal with complicated issues.

And wherever and however we can, we need to put a stop to the Republican’s efforts to take one issue a year-be it  Dirigo Health or Marriage Equality or Tax Reform -and put it on the ballot because they didn’t like what happened in the Legislature.

And the best way to stop them is to Vote NO on June 8.  Take away their success and you will take away their incentive.

Before I close, I need to share one more frustration with how this issue in being politicized.

We just heard that the National Association of Realtors will soon launch a television ad campaign to urge Mainers to vote to repeal the new tax bill?  Why does this national organization care?

Ostensibly, it is because they are worried about how the new law affects itemized deductions (specifically, home mortgage deduction). Now, they would not be worried if they did their homework, which I’m sure they’ve done.  So I’m pretty sure their motivation is something else, which I’ll get to.

But first, let me be clear what the new law does, because you will be seeing a different message on television starting in a few days:

The benefits of itemized deductions are NOT eliminated by the new law. Maine taxpayers who itemize will retain these benefits through an alternative household credit that is directly linked to the amount one itemizes on his/her federal return.   In most instances, the new credits provide greater benefits than the old system. Now, these new credits do phase out as incomes rise, but very gradually (so that a couple filing jointly with large enough itemized deductions and two children will still receive some credit until their income exceeds about $275,000/year); and most higher-income taxpayers receive enough benefit from the lower top tax rate that they do not need a full credit to come out ahead. Overall, over 95% of Maine taxpayers will see lower income taxes.

So why is the National Association of Realtors involved in this Maine issue?   The reason has to do with national politics.  There is increasing talk nationally about changing the deductibility of home mortgage interest within the federal tax system.  And the National Association of Realtors doesn’t want any state to take an action that may give the “perception” of a weakening of home mortgage deductions, even if (as in the case of this new law in Maine) the action will actually improve the financial situation of most homebuyers.

So, we have a situation here where a national organization is putting in BIG money to defeat a law that is good for Mainers, simply because that organization is worried about how what happens in Maine could affect its federal policy agenda. What have we come to?

Ladies and gentlemen, we need to resist this kind of special interest influence on Maine laws!

So, let’s stick to what you need to know about Question 1:

There is a reason why every democratic candidate for governor strongly supports a NO Vote on Question 1-because the law advances democratic values and will help us run the state better.

There’s a reason a why AARP, the Maine Children’s Alliance, and the Maine  Center for Economic Policy all support a NO Vote on Question 1-because it advances a progressive agenda and is good for children and our seniors.

Even several chambers of commerce support a NO vote.  I hope none of you are alarmed by that. I for one am pleased to see enlightened members of the business community embrace the fact that Democratic values are good values for the entire state!

I urge you all to Vote NO on Question 1.

The Maine State Building and Construction Trades Council says a recent fund-raising letter sent by the Maine Republican Party to licensed trades people around the state is misleading and appears to be intentionally deceptive. The letter implies that if question 1 on the June Ballot is upheld sales taxes could be expanded to electrical, plumbing, and oil burner repair.

Question 1, An act to implement tax relief and tax reform, is a law currently on the books. A “yes” vote would repeal the law whereas a “no” vote would allow the tax relief law to stand.

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 1253 Business Manager Jeff Rose says: “We received a number of calls from people in our industry who were concerned that a new tax on electrical work would be imposed. That’s simply not true. After speaking with members of the legislature, it’s clear to us that if there is something to be afraid of here, it’s the repeal of LD 1495 through the Question 1 referendum. The truth is that if the law is repealed there will be nearly a 30% increase in the maximum income tax rate and 95% of Maine residents will pay higher incomes taxes.”

The Maine State Building and Construction Council represents approximately 4000 men and women in the State of Maine.

Summary of New Laws Passed By The Maine Legislature In 2010

HEALTH AND SAFETY

LD 1620 - An Act To Protect Health Care Consumers from Catastrophic Debt – First-in-the-nation legislation banning annual and lifetime caps on insurance policies, protecting those suffering from severe illness from also facing catastrophic debt often incurred during the treatment of many fatal diseases. The elimination of annual or lifetime caps would directly benefit Mainers battling cancer and fighting other chronic diseases such as hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis.

LD 1408 - An Act To Establish the Universal Childhood Immunization Program - Provides Maine children with access to a uniform set of vaccines and reduces costs of immunizations. The bill will reduce the cost of immunizations by working in conjunction with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to leverage the contract prices for vaccines at the federal rate.

LD 425 - An Act To Require Private Insurance Coverage for Certain Services for Children with Disabilities - Requires private health insurance companies to pay their fair share for coverage of children with developmental disabilities.  Mandates that individual and group health insurance policies provide early intervention services for children ages birth to 36 months identified with a developmental disability or delay. The change in legislation, which is based on a successful model implemented in New Hampshire, is expected to save taxpayers about $250,000, yet only cost private insurance payers less than $2 every year.

LD 1619 - An Act To Establish the Silver Alert Program – Protects an increasing population of individuals in Maine that suffer from dementia or another cognitive impairment. The bill establishes a Silver Alert system that is modeled after the Amber Alert System for abducted children. It also establishes a mandatory orientation and training for law enforcement in cases involving missing persons with dementia, so that there is a consistent response across all local, regional and statewide law enforcement agencies. Studies show that 30,000 people in Maine have Alzheimer’s, six out of 10 individuals will wander at some point, and 50 percent of those people will die if not found with 24 hours.

LD 1773 - An Act To Improve Dental Insurance Coverage for Maine Children - Requires health insurance policies, contracts and certificates that provide dental plans to provide coverage of dependent children from birth if the policyholder elects to participate in the dependent coverage plan.

LD 1708 - An Act To Expand the Opportunity for Persons To Acquire Health Care Coverage under the State’s “Mini-COBRA” Program - The bill modifies Maine’s mini-COBRA law to make persons permanently laid off from their employment eligible to maintain, at their expense, coverage under their former employer’s group health plan. The amendment conditions the eligibility for those permanently laid off on the availability of a subsidy pursuant to federal law.

LD 1811 - An Act To Amend the Maine Marijuana Act - Taking action on a citizen initiative passed in November by Maine voters calling for medical marijuana to be legalized, the legislature set up a framework for the dispensary and distribution system for medical marijuana. Allows up to eight dispensaries, and sets a process to establish fees for patients, caregivers and dispensaries.

LD 20 - An Act To Require Insurance Companies To Cover the Cost of Prosthetics - Requires insurance plans to cover the latest prosthetic limbs. Prior to the law, health insurance carriers were required to provide coverage for prosthetic devices, but coverage is not required for those devices containing a microprocessor, which is the latest technology.

HP 1262 - Establishing a Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Opportunities and Implementation – Creates a legislative task force to help implement national health care reform.

ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

LD 1717 - An Act To Increase the Affordability of Renewable Energy for Homeowners and Small Businesses - Enables Maine municipalities to establish a “PACE” program to finance residential, commercial and industrial weatherization, as well as other energy efficiency measures and the installation of green energy generation behind the meter.

LD 1647- An Act To Enhance Maine’s Clean Energy Opportunities - Will increase electricity efficiency funding by encouraging Maine’s Public Utilities Commission to direct the purchase of energy efficiency through long-term contracts, treating efficiency as a resource comparable to new electricity generation. The bill uses contracting as a tool to provide stable funding for efficiency, so Maine people can continue to benefit by saving three dollars for every one dollar invested.

LD 1535 - An Act To Create a Smart Grid Policy in the State - Encourages development of an electrical transmission system in Maine that employs state-of-the-art information technology to curb and manage energy use.

LD  1810 - An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Governor’s Ocean Energy Task Force - Supports development of ocean wind, tidal and wave power and states a policy preference for a transition to the use of renewable ocean electric power to meet Maine’s heating and transportation needs.

LD 1786 - An Act Regarding Energy Infrastructure Development – Ends a moratorium on energy corridors in order to spur energy job growth and resources. The law also opens new pathways for energy delivery across the state, while also protecting Maine’s interests in negotiating and overseeing the development of such corridors.

NATURAL RESOURCES ECONOMY AND RECREATION

LD 1607 - An Act To Regulate the Transportation of Firewood - Protects Maine’s hardwood trees from the spread of invasive species, including The Asian long horned beetle and the emerald ash borer.
LD 1585 - An Act To Protect Maine Farms and Nurseries – Prevents spread of late blight in tomato and potato crops by prohibiting large-scale retailers from selling annual plants on consignment unless both the large-scale retailer and the consignor comply with import and retail safeguards established for Maine’s farms and nurseries.
LD 1573 - An Act To Improve Water Quality through the Phaseout of Overboard Discharges and the Improvement of the Boat Pump-out Laws - Updates the state’s policy of funding the replacement of household and business septic systems that discharge directly into the ocean or other water bodies, which significantly harms Maine’s shellfish industry and other fisheries.

LD 1631 - An Act To Provide Leadership Regarding the Responsible Recycling of Consumer Products – Set a framework for the first-in-the nation program calling on manufacturers to recycle and re-use electronic waste and mercury-containing products to protect the environment.

LD 1662 - An Act To Improve Maine’s Air Quality and Reduce Regional Haze at Acadia National Park and Other Federally Designated Class I Areas - Federal law requires Maine to improve air quality by reducing sulfur emissions. The bill is a compromise that puts Maine on the path of phasing in cleaner fuels in cooperation with other states in the region.
LD 1593 - An Act To Amend the Lobster Meat Laws and Expand Economic Opportunity for Maine’s Lobster Industry - Helps Maine’s lobster industry compete in an increasingly competitive global marketplace by allowing lobster processors more flexibility in sending innovative lobster meat products to market.

LD 1432 - An Act To Create a Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry – Establishes a saltwater recreational fishing registry administered and operated by the state of Maine rather than the federal government. The registry is free once you purchase a freshwater fishing license. Striped Bass endorsements will cost $5 for residents who do not have freshwater licenses, and $15 for all nonresidents.

CONSUMER PROTECTION

LD 1541 - An Act To Protect Consumers from Charges after a Free Trial Period- Protects consumers from unauthorized credit card charges on the expiration of free trial offers.

LD 1779 - An Act to Prohibit Surcharges on the Use of Debit Cards - Protects consumers from being assessed surcharges when they use debit cards, which are now used more often than credit cards according to the Federal Reserve Board.

LD 1256 - An Act To Prohibit Predispute Mandatory Binding Arbitration Clauses in Consumer Contracts - Protects consumers involved in mandatory arbitration contracts, by requiring arbitrators to disclose information about past arbitrations and the arbitration process on their Web sites. Mandatory arbitration clauses are often found in the fine print of many contracts for credit cards, cellular phone, and car purchases.

LD 1568 - An Act To Clarify Maine’s Phaseout of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers – “Deca” bill that aggressively phases out the use of a dangerous brominated flame retardant in shipping pallets. It requires manufacturers to search for safer alternatives.

LD 1676 - An Act To Protect Maine Citizens’ Credit - Prevents health care providers, or debt collectors working for those providers, from reporting certain medical debts on a consumer’s credit report as long as a minimum payment is being made to the provider of the medical treatment and if the consumer’s income is well below the federal poverty level.

ETHICS

LD 1546 - An Act To Improve Disclosure of Campaign Finance Information and the Operation of the Maine Clean Election Act - Clarifies gift reporting requirements for legislators and made technical changes to campaign finance disclosures to increase public transparency.

LD 1730 - An Act To Strengthen the Ballot Initiative Process-  Prevents fraud and forgery in the ballot initiative process by creating a registration requirement for petition organizations that are compensated to organize, supervise or manage the circulation of petitions for a direct initiative or people’s veto. In order to allow town clerks and the Secretary of State to better detect and track fraud, the bill adds a space on petition forms for a unique identifier and a sequential number representing the petitions circulated.  It also requires that a petition be signed and notarized prior to being submitted to a municipal clerk for verification and directs the clerk to make copies of petitions that are suspected to be fraudulent. The bill also extends the time frame to challenge the decision of the Secretary of State to reject or certify petitions and also makes the current law consistent with the Maine constitution, which allows the for a total of 100 days for a final decision on the certification of a petition for a direct initiative or a People’s Veto.

LD 1792 - An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Right To Know Advisory Committee Concerning Public Records Exceptions – Ensures that records that should be available to the public will be available when they are requested.

TRANSPORTATION

The Transportation Committee primarily focused on helping to balance the budget.  Despite financial constraints, the committee was able to make a few changes to the highway budget to allow for 600 additional miles of state roads to be maintained.

LD 1826 - An Act To Authorize Bond Issues for Ratification by the Voters for the June 2010 Election – Working together, the governor and members of both parties in the Legislature agreed to send a $57 million bond package to voters that will create and save more than 2,000 jobs this construction season and make important investments to strengthen Maine’s economy. The jobs bond includes $44.3 million in new borrowing proposals and reprograms $13.5 million from items that were already on the June ballot. The plan focuses heavily on roads, rails, and ports and reprioritizes bond proposals that were originally approved last year and scheduled to be on the ballot in June. The bond will be sent to voters for approval on the June ballot.

LD 1640 - An Act To Provide for the Safety of Maine Athletes - This bill applies rules of the road for bicyclists to roller skiers, providing added protections to athletes of the sport.

LD 1736 - An Act To Improve Safety on Maine’s Primary and Secondary Roads, Reduce Road Maintenance Costs and Improve the Environment and the Economy by Allowing Certain Heavy Commercial Vehicles on the Interstate Highway System in Maine - Authorizes 6-axle combination vehicles consisting of 3-axle truck tractors with tri-axle semi-trailers of up to 100,000 pounds gross vehicle weight to operate on the Maine Interstate Highway System, for as long as a federal law exempting the State from the 80,000-pound limit is in effect, if otherwise in compliance with all other requirements of Maine law.

EDUCATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WORKING FAMILIES

LD 1658 - An Act To Increase Maine’s High School Graduation Rates – Establishes the state goal of achieving an average statewide secondary school graduation rate of 90 percent by the end of the 2015-2016 school-year.

LD 1799 - An Act To Encourage the Use of Models in the Collection and Use of Student Achievement Data – Helps Maine qualify for federal Race-to-the-Top funds, possibly boosting funding for schools and potentially protecting and adding jobs for teachers. The law strikes down a legal barrier that has prevented the use of students’ testing data in teachers’ and principals’ evaluations.

LD 1389 - An Act To Create State and Regional Quality of Place Investment Strategies for High-value Jobs, Products and Services in Maine - Creates council to advocate for ‘quality of place’ investments, based on economic development recommendations from the Brookings Institution,  Establishes a 12-member Maine Quality of Place Council. The council would be charged with establishing standards and guidelines for regional quality of place investment strategies. It would also work with state agencies to identify best ways to actively promote and strengthen Maine’s quality of place assets and to encourage the agencies to fund regional quality of place projects.

LD 1418 -An Act To Preserve Home Ownership and Stabilize the Economy by Preventing Unnecessary Foreclosures – Provides protections to homeowners during the foreclosure process, including the establishment of a mandatory foreclosure mediation program and added transparency and education for homeowners throughout the foreclosure procedure.

LD 1778 - An Act To Enable the Installation of Broadband Infrastructure - This bill makes a federally supported dark fiber provider a telephone utility and authorizes it to string lines for dark fiber bringing broadband service to un-served and under-served areas.  It also establishes a broadband sustainability fee that a dark fiber provider must collect from customers.

LD 1646 - An Act To Establish a Broadband Policy for Maine - The bill sets goals to expand broadband access throughout the state by establishing state policies that promote universal broadband access and the infrastructure necessary to provide that access statewide.

LD 1626 - An Act To Amend the Unemployment Compensation Laws Regarding Vacation Pay - Under current law, an individual is disqualified from receiving unemployment compensation benefits for any week in which the individual receives, is entitled to receive or has received remuneration in the form of vacation pay. This bill removes that restriction.

LD 1545 - An Act To Protect Maine Workers – Protects Maine workers in the logging industry from being undercut by foreign bonded labor by requiring employers who hire bonded labor to provide proof of ownership, or a bona fide lease, of equipment as required by the Commissioner of Labor. The law aims to correct abuses within the system where employers may hire foreign contracting firms who have equipment, which is a violation of federal and state law. The amendment requires employers seeking bonded workers to form and participate in a recruitment clearinghouse that assists in evaluating and referring potential logging occupation workers.

LD 1558 - An Act Regarding Accidental Death Benefits for Beneficiaries of Deceased Firefighters - This bill provides an accidental death benefit to the beneficiary of a professional firefighter who dies from cardiovascular injury or disease or pulmonary disease as described in the Maine Revised Statutes.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

LD 1703 - Resolve, To Implement the Recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Task Force – Reinforces the Juvenile Justice Task Force report from March that called on the state to make major changes to how it treats at-risk or troubled teenagers, proposing a list of goals aimed at keeping kids in school and out of correctional facilities.

TAX RELIEF

The Taxation Committee primarily focused its work on the budget, helping to find creative solutions to the revenue shortfall. The committee was able to help restore several proposed cuts to key programs, such as the Circuit Breaker, which helps low-income families pay a portion of their property taxes, and also restored significant funding to municipal revenue sharing. It also worked to form several study committees to review future changes in the tax structure to stimulate business, evaluate tax expenditure programs, prepare for the growth of developing industries, and further assist veterans and low-income families.

LD 1449 - An Act To Expand Tax Incentives for Visual Media Productions – Establishes a small film tax credit for companies that come to Maine to make films or other visual arts.

LD 1637 - An Act To Change the Requirements for the Sales Tax Exemption for Snowmobile Trail Grooming Equipment – Allows certain snowmobile clubs to be eligible for the sales tax exemption for snowmobile trail grooming equipment.

Lean times mark 2010 session
Relative civility during session
BY GLENN ADAMS, Associated Press

From the April 12th Edition of the Kennebec Journal

AUGUSTA — Despite painful budget cuts in an election year, Maine lawmakers kept partisan bickering to a minimum as they made headway on a number of fronts including health care and consumer and environmental protections in a legislative session that’s rapidly coming to a close.
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* Last chance for bonds package

Lawmakers who meet today still have to settle a late-session skirmish over a bond package that could save 233 miles of railway in northern Maine before wrapping up the year’s work.

But the rancor that has marked national political debates failed to trickle down to the state level in Augusta as a budget-balancing bill to close a $310 million gap with reductions for social services and education eased through on the momentum of bipartisan committee support.

Gov. John Baldacci, who ends his final session as chief executive, said his successor will head a state government that’s much smaller because of changes necessitated by budget shortfalls.

House Majority Leader John Piotti agreed that the legislative session got under way in January under a dark cloud as the state faced perhaps its worst fiscal crisis. “But despite that, I think we’ve made some huge strides forward with policy,” said the Unity Democrat.

Ripples from the national health care debate reached Maine, where a law to bar annual and lifetime caps on health insurance payments was enacted. The bill protects health care policy holders from having to go into debt because they reached an insurer-imposed cap on payments.

Young children’s immunization costs should go down thanks to a law that encourages state health officials to work closely with their federal counterparts to seek to buy vaccines at the federal rate. And health insurers will have to cover early intervention services for children with developmental disabilities.

One of the more controversial issues was implementation of the voter-approved expansion of Maine’s medical marijuana law aimed at making marijuana more accessible. Up to eight medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed and fees will be established for patients, caregivers and dispensaries.

A new law to restrict the sulfur content in fuel oil will bring health benefits while reducing haze in the state’s air, supporters said. The measure phases in cleaner fuels in cooperation with other states in the region.

And those who fear health impacts from pesticide spraying in agricultural areas will have a new layer of protection. A new law will replace Maine’s current preseason notification system with a comprehensive, single notification registry for all outdoor pesticide applications. The registry for aerial agriculture pesticides will remain.

Hoping to keep wood-damaging bugs from entering Maine, lawmakers barred the importation of firewood into the state, meaning out-of-state campers accustomed to bringing in their own campfire wood will have to leave it home. The bill was aimed at reducing destruction of trees by the Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer.

In consumer issues, complaints about deceptive free trial offers prompted legislation that will require companies offering free trial periods of goods or services to confirm billing information directly to consumers at the time they accept the offer.

Another consumer-protection law prohibits merchants from placing surcharges on debit card purchases. The Federal Reserve Board says debit cards are now used more often than credit cards.

Many of Maine’s senior citizens will benefit from a property tax deferral towns and cities will be allowed to establish. Eligible homeowners in participating municipalities will be able to apply for deferrals if they are at least 70 and meet other requirements.

Another law affecting seniors is creation of a Silver Alert program for missing seniors modeled after the Amber Alert system for abducted children.

Concerns about the integrity of Maine’s ballot initiative process prompted passage of a law to require businesses that are paid for circulating petitions to register with state election officials.

Outdoors, gun owners will see eased restrictions on guns in Acadia National Park. An attempt to preserve a policy against open firearms in national park sites in Maine was watered down to allow those with concealed weapons permits to bring guns into the oceanside park.

Saltwater anglers will have to sign up in a fishing registry effective 2011 to comply with a federal mandate. The law makes the registry free with the purchase of a freshwater fishing license.

Maine’s milk handling fees will be adjusted to help farmers cope with the rising costs of production. Consumers are not likely to notice swings in retail prices.

The use of traffic surveillance cameras that identify license plates will be more tightly restricted. Data about law-abiding citizens will be purged every 21 days and databases will be confidential.

Finally, a trust fund will be established to ensure continuing maintenance and care of graves within the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery System.