On the last day, in nearly the
last hour of the legislative session, the Maine Legislature enacted
LD 1790, "An Act to Secure Maine’s Transportation Future." The
bill’s sponsor, Senator Dennis Damon and his Transportation
Committee Co-Chair, Representative Boyd Marley, led the debate in
their respective chambers. Many legislators on both sides of the
aisle spoke favorably, and that led to strong bipartisan votes of 19
to 16 in the Senate and an overwhelming vote of 124 to 17 in the
House. In spite of these victories, concerns over impacts to the
General Fund, beginning two years from now, ultimately led to
passage of amendments that removed all new funding for both highway
and bridge investment and for operational support to alternate
modes, including the Downeaster.
While the
outcome on funding was disappointing, the final results will not be
known until the second session of this legislature is concluded
next year. Furthermore, as enacted, LD 1790
reflects several positive outcomes. The legislation, as finally
approved:
- sets in statute comprehensive,
measurable goals to guide transportation investment;
- creates a first-ever debt policy for
transportation capital spending;
- creates to new financing tools to
allow revenue bond financing through the Maine Municipal Bond Bank
- one using GARVEE bonds and the other using state highway funds
(TransCap Trust Fund).
“We’ve had the same old tools in the capital financing
toolbox for decades,” said Senator Damon, sponsor of LD 1790,
adding: “It’s great to have these new tools to fit the times we are
in.”
Per the legislation enacted,
MaineDOT will be back before the Transportation Committee by January
15, 2008, with recommendations pertaining to a list of numerous
extraordinary transportation investment projects
each exceeding $10 million in cost. The recommendations are to
address, for each project, an appropriate scope, schedule for
community consensus, relative priority and funding plans. At the
time this report is given, MaineDOT
also will brief the committee on the costs
associated with meeting the capital investment goals enumerated in
the new law. This will help the committee formulate a plan to raise
revenues to fully capitalize the newly created TransCap Trust
Fund.
Commitment to
continue
Sometimes, as in the
case of LD 1790, a bill reaches the House and Senate for debate only
in the final days of the session. Then, when time is short, there
can emerge a commitment to continue the conversation when next
convened. Clearly, that is the case in this instance given the
commitments made to pursue several matters of unfinished business
relative to Maine’s transportation funding crisis.
The Transportation Committee will perform a study
this year that will examine the jurisdiction and funding of the
collector and state aid road network that comprises 80 percent of
all of MaineDOT’s substandard mileage.
There will also be a joint review by
the Transportation and Appropriations committees of matters
concerning Maine State Police cost sharing, funding the operational
needs of the Downeaster and other issues of interest to both
Committees.
Senator Damon, as chair of
ProsperityMaine, a newly formed
legislative committee, indicates that
he plans to make transportation finance a significant agenda item in
that forum.
A big thanks to our coalition
members
We also want to thank
our coalition members, particularly ACM, whose staff and leadership
were actively engaged throughout this long process. Many other
coalition members helped in different ways, and they are too
numerous to list here. Obviously, the MBTA board, led by Tim Folster
and Scott Leach at the beginning of this process and, now, Lauren
Corey, deserve our gratitude for the tremendous leadership, support
and vision for the past year. While we fell short of where we
wanted to be, we are more determined to work with the legislature,
particularly the Appropriations Committee, as well as the governor
and the administration to enlist their support and complete the task
at hand.
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