MEREDA – Legislative Report

Legislative Update
Fall 2022

While much has changed in the world in the past months, the MEREDA Public Policy Committee has continued to stay engaged on critical matters impacting our members.

Click to Read the Full Report

November 14, 2022 – Inclusionary Zoning/Workforce Affordable Housing
Alternatives to a Misguided Policy Solution to Maine’s Workforce Housing Crisis

Portland Ballot to Have 13 Referendum Questions this November

July 25, 2022 — Portland Ballot to Have 13 Referendum Questions this November

This fall, Portland voters will be asked to support or oppose 13 referendum questions. As recently noted by our friends at the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce (PRCC), these 13 questions will includes provisions that would:

• Institute the 3rd highest minimum wage in the country, behind only two communities in California.

• Eliminate the tipped credit, which would imperil Portland’s world-renowned food and beverage industry by dramatically increasing restaurant prices and harming employees that currently make over $40/hr in tips.

• Double down on the failed rent control policy, which has invited the largest rent increases in our city’s history while discouraging investment in our city’s housing stock.

• Eliminate cruise ships from Portland, threatening the revenues that make our small business community and working waterfront viable.

• Drastically reduce the number of short-term rentals in Portland, punishing local homeowners trying to make ends meet and pay ever increasing property taxes.

• Install a boss mayor in Portland, who could override the democratic will of our elected City Council with a veto pen, hire and fire city staff, issue executive orders, all while receiving a double-digit pay increase over the current mayoral salary.

MEREDA is working closely with the PRCC and other allies to build opposition to the proposals and begin getting out the word to voters. With early voting taking a more prominent role in election process, we will need to move quickly and collectively if we are to succeed in defeating this radical agenda, and in building momentum against referenda as a governance method – it’s bad for Portland, and it’s bad for Maine.

The order and language of the questions has not yet been set. We will send more information along soon, and please keep an eye on your inboxes for ways you can help get involved in this fight.

Adjournment of 130th Legislature

May 11, 2022 — 130th Legislature Adjourns Sine Die on May 9, 2022

The Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature adjourned sine die (meaning “without day,” or without intent to return) on May 9, 2022. Pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 16, the general effective date for nonemergency laws passed in the Second Regular Session of the 130th Legislature is Monday, August 8, 2022.

New Horizons in Housing

May 11, 2022 — What Public Law 2021, Chapter 672 (LD 2003), the “Housing Act” Means for Maine

A big victory for housing development in Maine Read More >>>

Click to Download the Full Article

Action Alert! LD 201 – MEREDA Needs Your Help!

April 8, 2022 — Contact your legislators today to tell them why you support the Maine Historic Tax Credit, and why it’s so important to ensure that the bill is removed from the Special Appropriations Table now and finally enacted this year. You can find talking points on the importance of this program here. Tell your representatives that it’s important for developers to have certainty that this tax credit will be available to ensure that they can safely put projects in the development pipeline.

Find your: House Representative | Find your: Senator

Click to Download the Talking Points for LD 201

MEREDA Supports the Majority Report of LD 2003

MEREDA supports the majority report for LD 2003 and urges you to contact your House member or Senator in support of the majority report to help building more housing for Maine! The majority of the Labor and Housing Committee of the Legislature voted to support LD 2003, An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission to Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine by Studying Zoning and Land Use Restrictions.

Educational Opportunity for Members:

Check out this upcoming event regarding an alternative to existing top-down vernal pool regulation!
Courtesy of Cathance River Education Alliance

Click to Download the Talking Points

Developer’s Toolkit:
A Guide to Winning Community Support for Land Use Development Projects

Designed to help developers of all sizes and levels of experience, the Developer’s Toolkit is a first-of-its-kind modular document that covers all public-facing aspects of a development project, including: project scoping, municipal approval processes, public communications and media relations. In addition to general advice and MEREDA Pro Tips, the Developer’s Toolkit includes examples and templates to help developers jump-start the pre-development strategic planning process and guide developers through the project approval process.

The Developer’s Toolkit is an example of the kinds of resources, guidance, and programming that MEREDA offers its members.