Prior to the end of fiscal year 2008-09, a school administrative unit or municipality may apply to the Commissioner of Education for a distribution from the fund. Pursuant to criteria established in this section, the commissioner may authorize distributions from the fund in the form of competitive and planning grants.

Sec. H-3. Fund for the Efficient Delivery of Local and Regional Services; distribution. In accordance with Initiated Bill 2003, chapter 2, section 4, subsection 3, this section provides for 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, referred to in this section as "the fund." The Department of Administrative and Financial Services shall distribute the fund, in the form of competitive grants and planning grants, to municipalities that demonstrate significant and sustainable savings in the cost of delivering local and regional governmental services, or, in the case of planning grants, the potential for such savings, through collaborative approaches to service delivery, enhanced regional delivery systems, the consolidation of regional services and the creation of broad-based purchasing alliances in accordance with the criteria and application process developed by the department pursuant to Public Law 2003, chapter 20, Part W, section 2. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services may contract for services for administration of the fund.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved, except as otherwise indicated.

SUMMARY

This bill increases the state share of education costs, provides property tax reduction for Maine residents and reduces government spending at all levels. Specifically, the bill accomplishes the following.