One of the final things done at the Legislature this year was to add to or amend the bond questions from the previous session that will appear on your June 8 ballot. As you know all state general fund or highway fund bond (borrowing) proposals are initiated in the Legislature and then sent to voters for their approval. Here are descriptions summarized from information from the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis and the Maine Secretary of State’s Web page.

Question 2:

“Do you favor a $26,500,000 bond issue that will create jobs through investment in an off-shore wind energy demonstration site and related manufacturing to advance Maine’s energy independence from imported foreign oil, that will leverage $24,500,000 in federal and other funds and for energy improvements at campuses of the University of Maine System, Maine Community College System and Maine Maritime Academy in order to make facilities more efficient and less costly to operate?”

Last session, the original bond would have authorized a $33,500,000 bond to provide for investments in weatherization and energy efficiency projects. The bond would have included money for infrastructure and energy efficiency upgrades at campuses of the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and the Maine Maritime Academy; and it called for the creation of a fund to develop one or more ocean wind energy demonstration sites.

After some fairly intense negotiations the $12M weatherization portion in the original package is eliminated and $5M for wind energy is added for a total of $11M for off shore wind research and to fund potential wind energy component manufacturing. $15.5M goes towards higher Education building renovations.

If this bond passes it could leverage $24 million in other funds.

Question 3:

“Do you favor a $47,800,000 bond issue to create jobs in Maine through improvements to highways, railroads and marine facilities, including port and harbor structures, and specifying the allocation of $4,000,000 of the transportation bond approved by voters in November 2009 to be used for capital rail purposes?”

This new question includes $24.8M for highways, $7M for Aroostook rail track presently operated by Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railroad, $5M to purchase a portion of a rail line for future passenger service in Lewiston/Auburn, $4M for repairs and improvements for Mountain Division rail already owned by the state, $0.5M for the Small Harbor Improvement Program and $6.5M for the Ocean Gateway deep water pier. This might be called the railroad bond since it will allow the purchase of various rail lines through out the state and provide funds to repair those lines already owned.

This was one of the most controversial bonds since the MMA has been poorly run and in finical difficulty. However, it is a critical line for the businesses in Aroostook County.

Question 4:

“Do you favor a $23,750,000 bond issue to provide capital investment to stimulate economic development and job creation by making investments under the Communities for Maine’s Future Program and in historic properties; providing funding for research and development investments awarded through a competitive process; providing funds for disbursements to qualifying small businesses; and providing grants for food processing for fishing, agricultural, dairy and lumbering businesses within the State and redevelopment projects at the Brunswick Naval Air Station that will make the State eligible for over $39,000,000 in federal and other matching funds?”

This bond was slightly modified from the original approval by a $1.25M-$1M from a reduction in the Small Enterprise Growth Fund, leaving in $4M and $0.25M from he Maine Historic Preservation Commission leaving in $1.25 M. Communities for Maine’s Future will receive $3.5M, Maine Technology Institute will receive $3M, Brunswick Naval Air Station redevelopment will receive $8M and food processing grants will be $1M.

Matching funds are required to obtain money from the Maine future’s program. The bond if approved the money for MTI and BNAS could leverage $35M in matching funds.

Question 5:

“Do you favor a $10,250,000 bond issue to improve water quality, support drinking water programs and the construction of wastewater treatment facilities and to assist farmers in the development of environmentally sound water sources that will leverage $33,250,000 in federal and other funds?”

No change from the original legislation approved in 2009 by the legislature. If this bond is approved it will include $3.4M for the drinking water revolving fund, $5.85M for wastewater treatment and $1M for agriculture water source development.

The bond if approved the money for Waster Water Treatment could leverage $15M in matching funds. Additionally $1M would be available to help towns replace malfunctioning septic systems that are polluting a water source or causing a public nuisance.

If all of these bonds pass Maine Citizen’s will reasonably be expected to pay a little over $135 million dollars, representing $108 million in principal and $26 million in interest. The State presently has $500 million in bond liability paying $74 million in interest. There are $211 million in bonds that are not issued yet. The State will be paying nearly $107 million in the present fiscal year.

A yes vote favors the bond authorization. A no vote opposes the bonds being issued.

More detailed information can be found on the Maine Secretary of State’s web site at http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming.htm l. It is an honor to serve you. If you have any about this or anything else call me at 645-3420 or email me at drtom16@hotmail.com.

Tom Saviello of Wilton represents House District 90: the towns of Avon, New Vineyard, Phillips, Strong, Temple and Wilton, plus the unorganized territories of East Central Franklin and Perkins and Washington townships.