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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 11 J U LY 2 7 , 2 0 1 5 A lthough dozens of bills enacted in the final days of the 127 th Legislature's first ses- sion remain in limbo due to the veto standoff between Gov. Paul LePage and lawmakers, the gov- ernor did sign into law a signifi- cant job-creation measure on July 1: L.D. 1415, an $85 million bond package for highway, bridge and multi-modal-facility projects throughout the state. LePage's signature allows the bond package to go to a statewide referendum in November for final approval by voters. "is critical investment of $85 million into Maine's trans- portation system will assure thousands of contractors and construction workers with long- term job security and continu- ing paychecks, and, in turn, will strengthen Maine's infrastructure and economy," LePage said in a July 6 release announcing his signing of the bond bill. The bond package includes: $17 million to construct, reconstruct or rehabilitate high-priority highways. $46 million for bridge replace- ments and rehabilitation. $17 million for ports, harbors, marine transportation, avia- tion, transit and freight and passenger rail. e bond package also would fund additional improvements to the International Marine Terminal in Portland to support Eimskip's trans- atlantic shipping operations there. If approved by voters in November, the transportation bond would be matched by an estimated $121.5 million in federal and other funds, according to L.D. 1415's word- ing for the referendum question. L.D. 1415 in its original language had included an additional $90 million transportation bond refer- endum in November 2016, with $72 million slated to fund improvements to Priority 1, 2 and 3 state high- ways as well as the replacement or rehabilitation of bridges. Another $18 million was slated for intermodal transportation improvements. But the additional $90 million in bond funding was removed prior to passage of the amended L.D. 1415 by a 134-13 vote in the House and a 32-3 vote in the Senate. In his June 3 testimony in support of a two-year bonding plan, Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt told the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs the $175 million bond request was not a "pie-in-the-sky" proposal. "ese are right-sized, basic, 'take- care-of-what-you-have' goals," he said in his written testimony. "As a highway design engineer and head of the largest engineering organization in the state, I wish we could do more. … If this bond proposal is approved, the unmet need will be about $72 million per year." Matthew Marks, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of Maine, in his written testimony supporting the bonding plan, urged lawmakers to "do better" and to think of "public investment to fix our aging infrastructure" as provid- ing the additional benefit of creat- ing jobs for Maine's still-lagging construction industry. "While the other sectors of Maine's economy are growing, the construction industry has only made slight gains, moving the needle to 19% unemployment since the peak in 2006," he said. More investment is clearly needed, he said, citing a national transporta- tion group's report noting that 26% of Maine's major rural roads were rated in poor condition in 2013, the highest rate in the nation. He also noted that in 2014, 15% of Maine's rural bridges were rated as structurally deficient, the ninth-highest rate in the nation. P O L I T I C S & C O. B Y J A M E S M C C A R T H Y LePage and lawmakers find common ground on $85M transportation bond Online banking with mobile check deposit Smart Business Checking Growing businesses need more than a checkbook and a smile. They need real. Real honesty, real products, and real people with smart ideas who are willing to get out from behind the desk and make things happen for you. At least that's what we think at Gorham Savings Bank. We call it a breath of fresh banking. Spend more time at your business than ours — genius. " My bank doesn't waste my time." * No transaction fees for up to 450 paid or deposited items per statement cycle (additional items $.35 each). Member FDIC. No transaction fees on up to 450 items per cycle* Your personal banker to help along the way No monthly maintenance service charge gorhamsavingsbank.com

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