	June 5, 2007

	UPCOMING MBTA EVENTS
	Transportation Bond Vote Tuesday, June 12 Washington County Meeting Thursday, June 14 Eastport Chowder House Eastport 5 p.m. Infrastructure Golf Tournament Thursday, July 12 Augusta Country Club 9 a.m. Aroostook County Meeting Thursday, August 2 Northeastland Hotel, Presque Isle 5 pm Fall Convention Friday, September 14-16 Samoset Resort, Rockport Visit our events page for more information... For more information, contact the MBTA at (207) 622-0526

IN THIS ISSUE

• Transportation Committee votes 11-2
in support of LD 1790

• keepmainemoving.org launches TV campaign
in support of Transportation Bond Vote, June 12

• Canadian plans for border crossing
at June 14 Eastport meeting

Transportation Committee votes out
LD 1790 11-to-2; majority urges passage

On June 1, the Legislature’s Transportation Committee reported out a “majority ought to pass as amended” report with an 11-2 vote on LD 1790, “An Act to Secure Maine’s Transportation Future.” Voting against 1790 were Sen. William Diamond (Cumberland) and Rep. Doug Thomas (Ripley). The MBTA is grateful for the hard work and time given to this legislation by the lead sponsor, Sen. Dennis Damon (Hancock County), and by the entire Transportation Committee. LD 1790 has been a top priority for MBTA throughout the session. For more information about specifics of the bill – accountability, performance standards and revenue sources – please visit http://www.mbtaonline.org/advocacy.htm.

LD 1790 is an important step toward a long-term solution to Maine’s transportation funding crisis. It is the only effort underway that works to establish a stable source of funding for Maine’s transportation network.

MBTA members are encouraged to contact their legislators as soon as possible and encourage them to support the majority vote of the Transportation Committee and vote to enact LD 1790. It is time for Maine to have a comprehensive, long term, transportation capital investment strategy backed by the financial resources necessary to make it happen.

Let your legislators know how the transportation funding crisis has affected you. . . We need all of our leaders in Augusta to know how important this is for our families, our businesses and for all of Maine. Below is a link to find your legislators, as well as the phone numbers at the State House. If you are a constituent, you should always feel free to contact your legislators at home, too. Find your legislator.

State House Phone Numbers:

Message line for House members: 1-800-423-2900
Message line for Senate members:1-800-423-6900

VOTE YES on #1, June 12

Keep Maine Moving – spearheaded by MBTA and ACM – has launched a campaign urging voters to go to the polls and vote in support of the $112.9 million transportation bond that represents much needed investments in Maine’s transportation network:

$100 million is slated for highway and bridge improvements, leveraging $161 million in matching federal funds and $15 million in local funds.

$12.9 million would fund airports, port and ferry projects, trails, rail and transit facilities, and leverages over $70 million in matching funds.

This bond, with federal matching and local funds, generates over $350 million in transportation funds for a variety of highway and non-highway transportation projects statewide. Passage of the bond is essential to MaineDOT’s biennial work plan which represents hundreds of projects and thousands of jobs statewide. For details on the bond referendum and to view Keep Maine Moving’s TV commercial in support of the bond, go to keepmainemoving.org.

The MBTA hopes you will urge friends, neighbors and co-workers to vote in favor of this bond. Many thanks to the 70+ MBTA members who have contributed to the media buy to date. In order to meet our fundraising goals, more is needed. For more information, please contact Maria Fuentes at 622-0526.

Canada's plans for expanding border crossing

topic of June 14 Washington County meeting

Don’t forget to make your reservation for the Washington County meeting of the MBTA, Thursday, June 14 at the Eastport Chowder House in Eastport at 5 p.m.

Susanne Derrah, senior policy analyst for the New Brunswick Department of Transportation, will be the guest speaker. She will talk about the Canadian agency's plans to complete the St. Stephen-Calais border crossing, as well as their capital program to complete the “twinning” of Highway One (to four lanes) from St. Stephen to St. John over the next few years. Susanne will also discuss long-term plans for transportation facilities in the New Brunswick region.

For more information and registration form, visit the MBTA events page or call 622-0526.