PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Increase Fairness in Municipal Spending Caps
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §5721-A, sub-§5, ¶A,  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. C, §1 and affected by §§3 and 5 and c. 12, Pt. WW, §16, is amended to read:
 
A.  The extraordinary circumstances must be circumstances outside the control of the municipal legislative body, including:
 
(1) Catastrophic events such as natural disaster, terrorism, fire, war or riot;
 
(2) Unfunded or underfunded state or federal mandates, including any bond payments necessary to meet mandated public improvement projects;
 
(3) Citizens' initiatives or other referenda;
 
(4) Court orders or decrees; or
 
(5) Loss of state or federal funding.
 
Extraordinary circumstances do not include changes in economic conditions, revenue shortfalls, increases in salaries or benefits, new programs or program expansions that go beyond existing program criteria and operation.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the municipal spending cap laws to exempt bond payments made by municipalities for state or federally mandated public improvement projects.