Please contact your Maine State Legislator today!
Urge them to support the Majority Report on LD 1790!
Message line House Members - 1-800-423-2900
Message line for Senate Members - 1-800-423-6900
LD 1790 "An Act to Sustain Maine's Transportation Future" was developed by the Maine Better Transportation Association and sponsored by Senator Dennis Damon, Senate Chair of the Transportation Committee.
LD 1790 has been called "the most important piece of transportation legislation in 50 years." It is now before the legislature to be acted upon in the last few days of the session that is expected to end on Wednesday, June 20.
We appeal to you for support in passing LD 1790. This pioneering legislation has been acted upon by the Transportation Committee with an 11-2 aught-to-pass as amended report. It is the only bill before the Legislature that begins to address our states many diverse transportation needs that includes meaningful passenger rail assistance. In brief, the bill includes:
· Comprehensive, measurable goals to guide transportation investment for the first time.
· A first ever debt policy established for Highway Fund General Obligation bonds, federal GARVEE bonds and new TransCap (transportation Capital) revenue bonds.
· Two new financing mechanisms for transportation capital investment created under the administration of the Maine Municipal Bond Bank:
a. GARVEE bond authority, financed with FHWA receipts, established to reconstruct, rehabilitate or replace bridges and arterials consistent with the capital investment goals.
b. TransCap Trust Fund grant and loan authority, established to advance the same goals and capitalized with dedicated streams of General and Highway Fund revenue.
· The revenue dedicated to the TransCap Trust Fund includes:
a. Reallocated highway funds gained through a gradual reduction of Highway Fund Support for the Department of Public Safety.
b. Transferred Highway Fund dollars equal to 7.5% of motor fuel tax revenues now supporting the highway and bridge capital improvement account.
c. Modest registration fee increases (Note: Some fees have not been adjusted in nearly 20 years.)
d. A phased-in set aside of General Fund revenues equal to 20% of transportation related sales tax receipts. Of this amount, 90% would support highway and bridge investment.
· Each of these revenue streams would flow to the TransCap Trust Fund as of July 1, 2009 and would eventually total about $98 million per year.
· New revenue is set aside in the STAR account to support alternate modes of transportation (RAIL, ferries, transit and aviation). This includes a set aside of existing auto rental tax receipts and 10% of the transportation-related sales tax set aside. This stream of revenue would eventually total $12 million dollars per year.
· Extraordinary corridor investments are listed in the bill with direction given to the Maine DOT to report back to the Transportation Committee on January 15, 2008, with recommendations for each project on appropriate scope, a schedule for community consensus, relative priority and funding plans.
There appear to be no alternatives as the legislature adjourns - its LD 1790 or nothing. Thank you for helping.
Provided by TrainRiders/Northeast, Box 4869, Portland, ME 04112 - 207-879-7245
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