LD 1167
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LD 1167 Title Page RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Restrict an ... Page 2 of 2
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LR 957
Item 1

 
Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the
Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the
Constitution of Maine be proposed:

 
Constitution, Art. IV, Part Third, §24 is enacted to read:

 
Section 24.__Limitation on growth of state budget.__The
Legislature shall establish a General Fund expenditure ceiling
that limits the growth of General Fund appropriations,
excluding federal funds received by the General Fund, to 75%
of the growth in statewide personal income in the prior
calendar year.__No appropriations in excess of this ceiling
may be authorized during any legislative session unless the
Legislature, by a 2/3 vote of the entire elected membership of
both Houses, sets forth the dollar amount and the rate by
which the ceiling will be exceeded and the reasons therefor.__
Any amount of General Fund revenues that exceeds the limit on
General Fund expenditures established in this section must be
used as follows:__1/3 of the amount must be transferred to
reduce the unfunded liabilities of the Maine State Retirement
System;__1/3 of the amount must be transferred to a budget
stabilization fund; and 1/3 of the amount must be returned to
the taxpayers of the State of Maine.__In the event that the
unfunded liability is eliminated, that portion of revenue must
be equally divided between the other 2 purposes.

 
; and be it
further

 
Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date. Resolved: That
the municipal officers of this State shall notify the
inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations
to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a
statewide election, at a statewide election, on the Tuesday
following the first Monday of November following the passage
of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the
amendment proposed in this resolution by voting upon the
following question:

 
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to
establish a ceiling that limits the growth in state
spending to 75% of the growth in statewide personal income
in the prior calendar year, to require a 2/3 vote of the
Legislature to approve General Fund expenditures that
exceed this ceiling and to require that surplus funds be
distributed in equal parts to the unfunded liability of
the Maine State Retirement System, to a budget
stabilization fund and to the voters?"

 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall
vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by
a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square
below


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