Lawmakers in Augusta have voted to repeal limitations on municipal property tax collection that have been in place for nearly twenty years.
Brought forward by Sen. Teresa Pierce (D-Cumberland), LD 2102 seeks to roll back statutes that have been in place since 2005 and were designed to curb government spending and reduce Mainers’ tax burden.
The law now repealed by lawmakers — referred to as LD 1 — was originally implemented in January 2005 after “countless hours” of consideration by the Legislature’s Joint Select Committee on Property Tax Reform” and was ultimately passed “by wide margins in both houses,” according to a 2006 report on the law.
“LD 1 limits growth of each municipality’s property tax levy to the growth rate of Maine’s average personal income (adjusted for inflation) plus the municipality’s property growth factor,” the report explains. “The property growth factor is different for each town; it is a measure of the new development occurring within the municipality’s borders.”
Click Here to Read the Full 2006 Report on LD 1
The law contains a number of exceptions to this limit — such as natural disasters — and residents can vote to voluntarily exceed this limit if they so desire.
Sen. Pierce suggested in her testimony introducing LD 2102 that the municipal property tax levy cap established by LD 1 “has served its purpose.”
“I’m sure, at the time of putting this law to be into place nearly 20 years ago, this cap seemed necessary,” Pierce testified. “However, this statute has proven outdated and confusing for towns and their residents.”
In February, Republican lawmakers held a press conference speaking out against LD 2102, suggesting that it would “limit the voices of the voters” and would result in lawmakers breaking a promise they had made to their constituents.
“Local officials have a responsibility to budget within the limits given to them, and if they can’t do so, they owe clear explanation to the voters about why they should vote to override that limit,” said Rep. Amy Bradstreet Arata (R-New Gloucester). “Voters should have the right to force the municipality to honor the tax levy limit.”
During this press briefing, lawmakers also pointed out at that back in 2005, the implementation of this limit was supported by current Senate President and then representative Troy Jackson (D) and Sen. Peggy Rotundo (D-Androscoggin), as well as current governor and then representative Janet Mills (D).
Members of the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee were split along partisan lines over whether or not to recommend this bill’s passage, with all Democrats supporting the majority Ought to Pass As Amended report and all Republicans backing the Ought to Not Pass recommendation.
Mid-March, the Senate narrowly voted to advance LD 2102, surpassing the minimum threshold by just one vote. Three Democrats — Sen. Craig Hickman (D-Kennebec), Sen. Peggy Rotundo (D-Androscoggin), and Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot) — joined the Republicans in opposition to this bill.
Partisan divisions remained stark in the House, but there was somewhat more crossover than was seen in the Senate. Nonetheless, the bill just narrowly received enough support to move forward.
Two Republicans — Rep. Mark John Blier (R-Buxton) and Rep. Kenneth Ralph Davis Jr. (R-East Machias) — and Independent Rep. Walter N. Riseman of Harrison joined the Democrats in support of the repeal.
On the other hand, five Democrats — including Rep. Sally Jeane Cluchey (D-Bowdoinham), Rep. Jessica L. Fay (D-Raymond), Rep. Anne-Marie Mastraccio (D-Sanford), Rep. Stephen W. Moriarty (D-Cumberland), and Rep. Sophia B. Warren (D-Scarborough) — and Independent Rep. William D. Pluecker of Warren voted with the Republicans in opposition.
Final votes of approval were taken in the House this past Thursday and in the Senate on Monday of this week.
LD 2102 will now be sent to Gov. Janet Mills for a signature.
“Mainers bear Nation’s highest property tax burden” and the socialist/democrates, lead by the Governess, just voted to make the burden heavier.
Comrade Pierce has likewise served her purpose which has been to march in lockstep with every stupid Leftist bill that the other commies in the legislature submit.