Maine Revised Statutes
Subchapter 3: MUNICIPAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS
30-A §5250-A. Affordable housing tax increment financing

§5250-A. Affordable housing tax increment financing
1. Designation of captured assessed value. A municipality may retain all or part of the tax increment revenues generated from the increased assessed value of an affordable housing development district for the purpose of financing the affordable housing development program. The amount of tax increment revenues to be retained is determined by designating the captured assessed value. When an affordable housing development program for an affordable housing development district is adopted, the municipal legislative body shall adopt a statement of the percentage of increased assessed value to be retained as captured assessed value in accordance with the affordable housing development program. The statement of percentage may establish a specific percentage or percentages or may describe a method or formula for determination of the percentage. The municipal assessor shall certify the amount of the captured assessed value to the municipality each year.
[PL 2003, c. 426, §1 (NEW).]
2. Certification of assessed value. Upon or after the formation of an affordable housing development district, the assessor of the municipality in which the district is located shall certify the original assessed value of the taxable property within the boundaries of the affordable housing development district. Each year after the designation of an affordable housing development district, the municipal assessor shall certify the amount by which the assessed value has increased or decreased from the original value.
Nothing in this subsection allows or sanctions unequal apportionment or assessment of the taxes to be paid on real property in the State. An owner of real property within the affordable housing development district pays real property taxes apportioned equally with property taxes paid elsewhere in the municipality.
[PL 2003, c. 426, §1 (NEW).]
3. Affordable housing development program fund; affordable housing tax increment revenues. If a municipality has designated captured assessed value under subsection 1, the municipality shall:
A. Establish an affordable housing development program fund that consists of the following:
(1) A project cost account that is pledged to and charged with the payment of project costs that are outlined in the financial plan and are paid in a manner other than as described in subparagraph (2); and
(2) In instances of municipal indebtedness, a development sinking fund account that is pledged to and charged with the payment of the interest and principal as the interest and principal fall due and the necessary charges of paying interest and principal on any notes, bonds or other evidences of indebtedness that were issued to fund or refund the cost of the affordable housing development program fund; [PL 2003, c. 426, §1 (NEW).]
B. Annually set aside all affordable housing tax increment revenues on captured assessed values and deposit all such revenues to the appropriate affordable housing development program fund account established under paragraph A in the following order of priority:
(1) To the affordable housing development sinking fund account, an amount sufficient, together with estimated future revenues to be deposited to the account and earnings on the amount, to satisfy all annual debt service on bonds and notes issued under section 5250‑D and the financial plan; and
(2) To the affordable housing project cost account, an amount sufficient, together with estimated future revenues to be deposited to the account and earnings on the amount, to satisfy all annual affordable housing project costs to be paid from the account; [PL 2003, c. 426, §1 (NEW).]
C. Make transfers between affordable housing development program fund accounts established under paragraph A as required, provided that the transfers do not result in a balance in the affordable housing development sinking fund account that is insufficient to cover the annual obligations of that account; and [PL 2003, c. 426, §1 (NEW).]
D. Annually return to the municipal general fund any tax increment revenues remaining in the affordable housing development sinking fund account established under paragraph A in excess of those estimated to be required to satisfy the obligations of the development sinking fund account after taking into account any transfers made under paragraph C. The municipality, at any time, by vote of the municipal officers, may return to the municipal general fund any tax increment revenues remaining in the project cost account established under paragraph A in excess of those estimated to be required to satisfy the obligations of the development project cost account after taking into account any transfer made under paragraph C. In either case, the corresponding amount of local valuation may not be included as part of the captured assessed value as specified by the municipality. [PL 2019, c. 607, Pt. A, §2 (AMD).]
[PL 2019, c. 607, Pt. A, §2 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 2003, c. 426, §1 (NEW). PL 2019, c. 607, Pt. A, §2 (AMD).