Maine Revised Statutes Title 38. Waters and Navigation § 1054. Authority to increase debt limits; sewer districts

1. Debt limit. Notwithstanding any provision of a sewer district's charter to the contrary, a sewer district may increase its debt limit by referendum in accordance with this section. A sewer district is not required to use the procedure provided by this section and may seek to increase its debt limit by any other lawful means, including pursuant to any other means described in the sewer district's charter or by seeking legislative amendment to its charter.

2. Referendum. If a sewer district chooses to increase its debt limit pursuant to this section, the governing body of the sewer district shall propose a new debt limit and submit the proposal for approval at a districtwide referendum. The referendum must be called, advertised and conducted according to the law relating to municipal elections in Title 30-A, chapter 121, except the registrar of voters is not required to prepare or the clerk to post a new list of voters. The referendum may be held outside the territory of the sewer district if the usual voting place for persons located within the sewer district is located outside the territory of the sewer district. For the purpose of registering voters, the registrar of voters must be in session on the regular work day preceding the election. The question presented must conform to the following:

“Do you favor changing the debt limit of the (insert name of sewer district) from (insert current debt limit) to (insert proposed debt limit)?”

3. Approval. A debt limit proposal becomes effective upon its acceptance by a majority of the legal voters within the sewer district voting at the referendum. Failure of approval by the majority of legal voters voting at the referendum does not prevent subsequent referenda from being held for the same purpose. The cost of referenda are borne by the sewer district.