AUGUSTA — Lawmakers in both the House and Senate on Tuesday voted again to support a bill that would restore $40 million in state aid to municipalities next year, setting the stage for what will likely be final votes in both chambers next week. The vote in the House took place without debate or roll […]
revenue sharing
Posted inMaine, sj-web
After strong debate, Maine House votes to support revenue sharing bill
AUGUSTA — After a bitter floor debate, a measure to restore $40 million of state funding to Maine cities and towns advanced Thursday after a 114-21 preliminary vote in the House of Representatives. Republicans used procedural moves four times in attempts to delay a vote on the bill or send it back to committee for […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
GOP lawmakers differ on why they missed revenue sharing vote
AUGUSTA — Sen. Patrick Flood, R-Winthrop, on Tuesday took responsibility for a firestorm that has raged since a Monday night vote of the Appropriations Committee that excluded Republicans. He said the committee vote that set off the controversy resulted from a miscommunication on his part. Rep. Kathleen Chase, R-Wells, the GOP’s ranking member on the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine lawmakers still negotiating on state revenue share for cities
AUGUSTA — Lawmakers on the Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee said Wednesday they were still trying to reach a compromise on about $40 million in state funding for cities and towns. A cut to local revenue-sharing, the money the state sends to municipalities to help ease the burden of property taxes, was built into the current […]
Posted inBusiness, Maine, sj-web
Municipalities, businesses clash over plan to restore revenue sharing
AUGUSTA — A plan to restore $40 million in state funding for municipalities already smarting from years of cuts elicited scorn Wednesday from several business groups and the state’s top finance officer. The proposal by leaders on the Appropriations Committee would pay for the municipal revenue sharing by ending several tax breaks for businesses and […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Municipal officials ask lawmakers to restore revenue sharing
AUGUSTA — Further reductions in state aid to Maine cities and towns will result in cuts to essential services and skyrocketing property taxes, municipal officials told lawmakers on Wednesday. Mayors, city council members and town managers are urging lawmakers to approve a measure that would prevent the reduction of $40 million in municipal aid next year […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston to join effort to halt revenue-sharing cuts
LEWISTON — Another year of reductions to state revenue-sharing could force deeper cuts or higher local property taxes, city officials say. “We are losing close to $2 million, and it’s actually more than they cut last year,” City Administrator Ed Barrett said. State legislators are scheduled to consider reducing municipal revenue-sharing across the state from […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Task force seeks to end $40 million in tax breaks to avoid more deep cuts to revenue sharing
AUGUSTA — Pressure is growing on the panel tasked with finding $40 million of savings in the budget in order to avert further reductions in revenue sharing that some have said would decimate municipalities around the state. From a distance, it might look easy. There are billions of state revenue dollars lost to tax expenditures […]
Posted inAdvertiser Democrat, Oxford Hills
Hebron schedules public hearing to discuss budget shortfall
HEBRON — An August public hearing to give residents a chance to voice their concerns about a $15,000 reduction in revenue sharing was scheduled by the Board of Selectmen this week. The hearing is set for 7 p.m. Aug. 12 at the town office. At town meeting in March, voters approved a $694,137 municipal budget, […]
Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal
Livermore softens the blow from $50,000 cut in revenue sharing
LIVERMORE — The town is estimated to lose about $50,000 from the 2013 state-revenue sharing program. Residents voted to take a preventative measure to cushion the blow during the annual June town meeting. The town had received $36,615 in reimbursement for wood cut illegally in Memorial Forest. The total amount was more than that but […]