Maine Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Health Bond Issue, Question 2 (2014)

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Question 2
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TypeBond issue
OriginMaine Legislature
TopicBonds
StatusApproved Approveda
2014 measures
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November 4
Question 1 Defeatedd
Question 2 Approveda
Question 3 Approveda
Question 4 Approveda
Question 5 Approveda
Question 6 Approveda
Question 7 Approveda
Polls
Expenditures
Local measures

The Maine Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Health Bond Issue, Question 2 was on the November 4, 2014 ballot in Maine as a legislatively referred bond question, where it was approved. The measure was designed to issue $8 million in bonds to support agriculture, natural resources industries and human health monitoring.[1]

Election results

Below are the official, certified election results:

 Maine Question 2
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 354,086 60.30%
No233,14839.70%

Election results via: Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions

Text of measure

Ballot title

The proposal appeared on the ballot as:[1]

“
Question 2: Bond Issue

Do you favor an $8,000,000 bond issue to support Maine agriculture, facilitate economic growth in natural resources-based industries and monitor human health threats related to ticks, mosquitoes and bedbugs through the creation of an animal and plant disease and insect control laboratory administered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service?[2]

”

Full text

The full text of the measure was as follows:[3]

“ Preamble. Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the issuance of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this Act,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. Authorization of bonds. The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an amount not exceeding $8,000,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Act. The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State. The bonds may not run for a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds.

Sec. 2. Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale and the date when payable.

Sec. 3. Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated. The Treasurer of State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set forth in this Act. Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project in this Act lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.

Sec. 4. Interest and debt retirement. The Treasurer of State shall pay interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Act and all sums coming due for payment of bonds at maturity.

Sec. 5. Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Act must be expended as designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies and entities set forth in this section.

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM

University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service

Provides funds to assist Maine agriculture and to protect Maine farms through the creation of an animal and plant disease and insect control facility administered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service.

Total. . . . $8,000,000

Sec. 6. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. Sections 1 to 5 do not become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in this Act.

Sec. 7. Appropriation balances at year-end. At the end of each fiscal year, all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward. Bond proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.

Sec. 8. Bonds authorized but not issued. Any bonds authorized but not issued within 5 years of ratification of this Act are deauthorized and may not be issued, except that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not to exceed 5 years.

Sec. 9. Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of question; effective date. This Act must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act. The municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question:

"Do you favor an $8,000,000 bond issue to provide funds to assist Maine agriculture and to protect Maine farms through the creation of an animal and plant disease and insect control facility administered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service?"

The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the returns. If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Act becomes effective 30 days after the date of the proclamation. The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.

SUMMARY

The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of $8,000,000, will be used to provide funds to assist Maine agriculture and to protect Maine farms through the creation of an animal and plant disease and insect control facility administered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service. (quote)

”

Fiscal note

The fiscal note was as follows:[4]

MaineQ22014fiscal.png

Background

The election that took place in Maine on November 4, 2014, is known as a referendum election. According to the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions, "Referendum Elections are held to provide Maine’s citizens an opportunity to vote on People’s Veto Referenda, Direct initiatives of Legislation (i.e. Citizen Initiatives), Bond Issues, other referenda proposed by the Legislature, and Constitutional Amendments. Referendum elections are an important part of the heritage of public participation in Maine."[5]

Support

Supporters

HP 1355 "Yes" votes

The following members of the Maine Legislature voted in favor of placing this measure on the ballot.[10][11]

Note: A yes vote on HP 1355 merely referred the question to voters and did not necessarily mean these legislators approved of the stipulations laid out in Question 2.

Senate

House

Arguments

In a letter to the editor, Jon Olson, the executive secretary for the Maine Farm Bureau said the following in favor of Question 2:[9]

“

The Maine Farm Bureau encourages voters to approve bond Question 2 on November’s ballot to support Maine’s growing agricultural economy. Maine’s farms are critical to the state’s rural character, exceptional quality of life and the vitality of our economy.

With over 8,100 farms and 1.3 million acres of working farmland, Maine is consistently a top food producer in New England. Passage of Question 2 will benefit Maine farmers and consumers through the creation of a new University of Maine Cooperative Extension animal, plant and insect laboratory.

The proposed lab will be an invaluable resource to Maine’s farmers as it allows Cooperative Extension to enhance pest monitoring, plant-disease forecasting, management of animal health issues and educational outreach.

The proposed lab will also feature disease-screening of ticks, which has become an important issue for all of us who spend time outdoors. Vote “yes” on 2 for healthy farms and healthy communities. [2]

”

The Maine League of Women Voters listed the following as arguments in favor of Question 2 in their voters' guide:[12]

“
  • The bond will provide money for a research facility run by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service.
  • Use of the bond funds could result in jobs and may help the economy in the State of Maine.
  • Researching these diseases could lead to better health for people and animals in Maine.
  • Researching animal and plant diseases could also help farmers and wildlife.

[2]

”

Opposition

HP 1355 "No" votes

The following members of the Maine Legislature voted against placing this measure on the ballot.[10][11]

Note: A no vote on HP 1355 meant that a legislator did not want to refer the question to voters and did not necessarily mean these legislators disapproved of the stipulations laid out in Question 2.

Senate

House

Arguments

The Maine League of Women Voters listed the following as arguments in opposition to Question 2 in their voters' guide:[12]

“
  • Maine would add $8 million to its total debt.
  • It will cost a total of $9.76 million in principal and interest over ten years to repay the money.
  • Other projects may be more worthy of the state’s money.

[2]

”

Media editorial positions

See also: Endorsements of Maine ballot measures, 2014

Support

  • The Maine Current said,
“ We support Question 2, which would allow the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to spend $8 million on a laboratory to study health threats related to ticks, mosquitoes and bedbugs. With so many of us hesitant to walk through the woods or a grassy field with the incidence of tick-related illnesses on the rise, this seems like money well spent. Maine’s economy is partly based on people’s desire to get outside, so any progress on these fronts would be appreciated.[2] ”
—Maine Current[13]
  • The Bangor Daily News said,
“ This $8 million bond is an investment in needed infrastructure at the University of Maine to better protect human health through insect-borne disease detection and food safety testing.[2] ”
—Bangor Daily News[14]
  • The Press Herald said,
“ Ticks are moving farther south, and Lyme disease is a rising threat. The first case in Maine of a deadly disease borne by mosquitoes was recently confirmed. And there are a whole host of diseases that can cause great damage to the state’s agriculture industry.

To help guard against all those problems, voters should approve Question 2, which would provide $8 million to create an animal and plant disease and insect control laboratory at the University of Maine.[2]

”
—Press Herald[15]

Path to the ballot

See also: Legislatively-referred state statute

According to Article IX, Section 14 of the Maine Constitution, a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Maine Legislature was required to put the bond issues before voters.[3]

The Maine Senate and Maine House of Representatives passed HP 1355 on April 17, 2014.[16]

Senate vote

April 17, 2014 Senate vote

Maine HP 1355 Senate Vote
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 27 84.37%
No515.63%

House vote

April 17, 2014 House vote

Maine HP 1355 Assembly Vote
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 132 91.67%
No128.33%

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Maine Secretary of State, "Upcoming Elections: November 4, 2014 - General Election," accessed August 7, 2014
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Maine Legislature, "Legislative Document No. 1861," April 16, 2014
  4. ↑ Maine Legislature, "LD LR2909(01) Fiscal Note," April 16, 2014
  5. ↑ Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions, "Upcoming Elections," accessed September 9, 2014
  6. ↑ Central Maine, "Bond issues deserve our support," October 22, 2014
  7. ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Where a Democrat, Republican agree: Innovation bonds are crucial to Maine’s future," October 22, 2014
  8. ↑ GrowSmart Maine, "Bond Issues on the November Ballot," August 21, 2014
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Portland Press Herald, "Letter to the editor: Maine Farm Bureau urges approval of bond Question 2," October 15, 2014
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Open States, "Senate Vote on HP 1355," accessed October 23, 2014
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 OpenStates.org, "House Vote on HP 1355 (Apr 17, 2014)," accessed October 23, 2014
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 League of Women Voters of Maine, "Voter Guide for Maine General Election: November 4, 2014," accessed November 1, 2014
  13. ↑ Maine Current, "Editorial: A question of bonds," October 8, 2014
  14. ↑ Bangor Daily News, "Yes on Question 2: Why it's worth it to have a lab that tests ticks, moose and more," October 18, 2014
  15. ↑ Press Herald, "Our View: Vote ‘yes’ on 6 to protect Maine’s water, environment," October 30, 2014
  16. ↑ Open States, "HP 1355," accessed October 21, 2014
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