LD 1 INCOME GROWTH FACTOR
On October 11, the State Planning Office (SPO) announced that the income growth factor used in the calculation of the LD 1 spending limit for municipalities and counties has been set at 2.47% for 2007. The 2006 income growth factor was 2.62%.
The income growth factor, calculated as an average of the change in total personal income less inflation for the last 10 calendar years, is one of the two figures used to calculate the LD 1 tax commitment limit. The other factor used in the calculation of the LD 1 limit is the property growth factor.
Please note that 2.47% income growth factor applies to the calendar year communities preparing 2007 budgets and to fiscal year communities preparing FY 08 budgets (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008). If you have any questions about this calculation or LD 1, please feel free to contact Kate Dufour at 1-800-452-8786 or kdufour@memun.org
PROJECT CANOPY GRANTS
Project Canopy Assistance Grants are available to state, county, and municipal governments, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations for developing and implementing community forestry projects and programs.
Project Canopy, a cooperative partnership between the Department of Conservation’s Maine Forest Service and the Pine Tree State Arboretum, anticipates that $200,000 will be available to support community forestry projects in the following categories:
Inner-city improvement
• $10,000 maximum award
• Projects improve the health and livibility of Maine’s most urbanized and underserved neighborhoods.
Planning and Education
• $8,000 maximum award
• Projects support long-term sustainable community forestry management and efforts to increase awareness of the benefits of trees and forests.
Planting and Maintenance
• $5,000 maximum award
• Projects increase the health and livability of communities through sound tree planting and maintenance.
To be eligible to apply for 2006 Project Canopy Assistance grants, all applicants must attend a grant workshop prior to submitting an application (excluding previous workshop attendees). Grant workshops are scheduled for the third and fourth weeks in January, will be held in various locations throughout the state. Grant applications are due to the Maine Forest Service at 5:00 pm on March 16, 2007.
For complete grant application and workshop information, please visit the Project Canopy website at www.projectcanopy.org. You can also learn more about the Project Canopy assistance program by contacting Becky Tavani by phone 287-4987, or by email at becky.tavani@maine.gov
ELECTED OFFICIALS WORKSHOP
The fall series of MMA’s Elected Officials Workshop (EOW) ends with the Orono (Black Bear Inn) workshop on December 5. The workshop runs from 4:30-8:30 p.m.
This workshop is a “must” for newly elected officials and can be a refresher for veteran municipal officials.
For more information, contact MMA’s Training & Affiliate office, 1-800-452-8786.
ETHICS WORKSHOP
The Maine Town & City Management Association, in cooperation with municipal manager associations from New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, is sponsoring an “Ethics in Local Government” workshop that will be held December 1 in Hampton Beach, NH.
Martha Perego, Ethics Advisor for the International City and County Management Association (ICMA), is the featured speaker. She will cover ICMA’s Code of Ethics Tenet 7 which covers involvement in political activity, discuss other practical aspects of the ICMA Code of Ethics and lead small group exercises.
For more information, contact MMA’s Training & Affiliate office at 1-800-452-8786.
MMA CLOSED
Maine Municipal Association will be closing at 12 noon for the remainder of the day on Friday, December 15 to allow all our employees to attend our holiday employee recognition luncheon.
STATE HOLIDAYS
The State of Maine’s 2007 Holiday Observance schedule is as follows:
Holidays Date Observed New Year’s Day
Mon, Jan 1
Martin Luther King Day
Mon, Jan.15
Presidents’ Day
Mon, Feb 19
Patriot’s Day
Mon, Apr 16
Memorial Day
Mon, May 28
Independence Day
Wed, July 4
Labor Day
Mon, Sept 3
Columbus Day
Mon, Oct 8
Veterans’ Day
Mon, Nov 12
Thanksgiving
Thurs, Nov. 22/Fri, Nov. 23
Christmas Day
Tues, Dec 25
NOTE: Holidays that fall on Saturday are observed on the preceding Friday, and holidays that fall on Sunday are observed the following Monday.