In the Hopper

The following bills with implications for the preservation of Maine's working waterfronts are under consideration by the Maine Legislature:

* Working Waterfront Access Bond: Reps. Leila Percy and John Piotti co-sponsored L.D. 299, a bond that would provide $15 million to working waterfront communities and $15 million to farming communities to invest in their future by purchasing land that provides access to critical economic infrastructure. The Appropriations Commit-tee is currently considering the bill.

* Fisheries for the Future: Rep. Hannah Pingree's bill would authorize a general fund bond with $1 million for the existing Farms for the Future program and $1 million for the new Fisheries for the Future. Both programs would provide funding for business plans, marketing and other business tools.

* Land Banks: Rep. Chris Rector of St. George has sponsored L.D. 115, an act enabling municipalities to establish municipal land banks funded by local option real estate transfer taxes. The Taxation Committee is currently considering this bill.

* Current Use Taxation: The proposal for a constitutional amendment to value working waterfronts at their current use rather than at their "highest and best" use has passed the House and Senate and will go out to voters in November. This tax program is already in place for farms and open space, as well as the Tree Growth program for forest land. A similar constitutional amendment was considered by Maine voters in 2000 but failed failed by a margin of less than one percent.