| | | 3. Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional | | Services. As soon as possible, but no later than March 1, | | 2004, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having | | jurisdiction over state and local government matters shall | | report out legislation designed in accordance with the | | intentions of this Act to govern the design, implementation, | | management and oversight of the Fund for the Efficient | | Delivery of Local and Regional Services established in the | | Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 5681, subsection | | 3. |
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| | | 4. Tax burden management. As soon as possible, but no | | later than March 1, 2004, the joint standing committees of the | | Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters and | | appropriations and financial affairs shall jointly develop | | and report out legislation that consists of a comprehensive | | plan that integrates the efforts of state, county and local | | governments and schools to reduce unnecessary spending, | | identifies cost savings in the delivery of governmental | | services and otherwise addresses the issue of the overall tax | | burden in this State. |
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| | | This initiated bill requires the State to provide at least | | 55% of the total state and local cost of kindergarten to grade | | 12 public education, including 100% state support for special | | education services mandated by state or federal law. |
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| | | Two percent of the annual state appropriation for education | | required by this initiated bill is dedicated to the Fund for | | the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services, which is | | dedicated to providing incentive-based resources to those | | school administrative units or municipalities that would | | effect certain system changes that provide significant and | | sustainable cost savings in the delivery of educational | | services. |
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| | | The Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional | | Services is established within the Local Government Fund, | | which is the fund from which state-municipal revenue sharing | | is distributed. This fund is capitalized by setting aside 2% | | of the sales and income tax revenue that would otherwise be | | distributed according to the revenue-sharing formula. This 2% | | is distributed to those municipalities that can demonstrate | | cost savings in the delivery of local and regional | | governmental services through collaboration with other local | | and regional governments and participating state agencies. | | This initiated bill directs the Legislature to develop the | | necessary implementing legislation to fully implement the Fund | | for the Efficient Delivery of Educational Services and the | | Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional | | Services. |
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