| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208. This | bill seeks to create a governance system for unorganized towns. | The bill makes several changes to the laws governing unorganized | towns, the deorganization of municipalities and the Maine Land | Use Regulation Commission as follows: |
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| | 1. It establishes a council-type government for all | unorganized towns in Maine. Membership is to be composed of one | representative per populated unorganized town and voting is to be | weighted one person-one vote; |
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| | 2. This bill allows property owners in unpopulated towns to | select a representative to serve on an advisory board to a | governing council; |
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| | 3. This bill authorizes the unorganized towns to establish | their own school governance system; |
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| | 4. It requires use of the Maine Land Use Regulation | Commission's development plan for 3 years with no changes. | Further, it authorizes the election of members to a body to | oversee land and economic development. It requires the Maine | Land Use Regulation Commission to be phased out over 3 years; |
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| | 5. It prohibits land in unorganized towns from being removed | from tax rolls regardless of the tax status of the buyer; |
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| | 6. This bill authorizes the new governance structure for | unorganized towns to enter into contracts with counties, | municipalities and the State, as well as Native Americans, for | various services; |
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| | 7. It requires county services to the unorganized towns to be | phased out over 3 years; |
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| | 8. This bill does not affect the sovereignty of unorganized | territory owned by Native Americans, but does allow cooperative | agreements to be developed among Native Americans and the council | of the unorganized towns. It also requires Native Americans to | establish zoning and land use plans for their lands in the | unorganized towns; |
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