An Act Regarding Future Evaluations of the Pine Tree Development Zone Program
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §5250-P, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 440, §5, is amended to read:
(1) Change in employment levels of qualified Pine Tree Development Zone employees;
(2) Amount of investment directly related to a qualified business activity;
(3) Comparison of business tax burden in this State to other states;
(4) Comparison of other cost burdens in this State to other states;
(5) Comparison of the amount of public incentives received from the Pine Tree Development Zone program to the amount of public incentives received from other incentive programs in the State;
(6) Measures of industry competitiveness for businesses receiving Pine Tree Development Zone benefits;
(7) Measures of fiscal impact and overall economic impact to the State; and
(8) Other measures as may be relevant to the evaluation of program outcomes.
The Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability shall provide a report of its evaluation of the Pine Tree Development Zone program established by this subchapter in accordance with Title 3, section 999 by January 15, 2021 and shall also provide this report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over economic development matters, which may report out a bill to the First Regular Session of the 130th Legislature in response to the report's recommendations.
summary
Current law provides that the Government Oversight Committee establish a schedule for the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability to conduct reviews of tax expenditure programs based on priority and the grouping of programs with similar goals. This bill strikes a provision regarding the Pine Tree Development Zone program that establishes the specific date of January 15, 2021 by which the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability must complete a review of the program.