§7606.__Education

Consistent with Title 20-A, each town established under this chapter may determine educational policy for the previously unorganized areas constituting the town, including operating its own school or schools or contracting for school services with other school administrative units, the county or the State.__The town may establish an elected school committee composed of representatives from each of the previously unorganized areas in the town to set out educational policy and to propose and oversee the town's school budget.

§7607.__Planning and land use

A town organized under this chapter shall establish its own growth management program consistent with chapter 187.__Once a town has been established for 3 years, the town's growth management program takes effect and its land use regulation is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission.

§7608.__Sovereignty of Native Americans

This chapter does not affect the sovereign rights of Native Americans over land that they own in a formerly unorganized area that is established as a single town under this chapter.

Sec. 2. Reimbursement for tree growth. The Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Maine Revenue Services shall develop rules to establish a fair system of reimbursement under the Maine Tree Growth Tax Law to towns established under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, chapter 307. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes a new chapter in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A that provides a method for unorganized areas to develop a system of self-governance. The bill delineates the requirements that must be met for a town to be created in the unorganized areas and outlines the powers, duties and responsibilities of the new town's government. It also requires the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Maine