At their meeting Monday evening, Jan. 7, Westport selectmen announced they have received word from the Maine Municipal Association that Gov. Paul LePage's administration may be developing 2013 legislation that will increase revenues for state road and bridge repairs and maintenance by appropriating the commercial vehicle excise tax revenues, currently collected and retained by municipalities.

“MMA staff have not yet seen draft legislation that substantiates this claim, therefore we do not have any specifics regarding the mechanics of the proposal or whether all or a portion of these municipal excise tax revenues would be seized by the Administration,” said Kate Dufour, from MMA State and Federal Relations Department.

Although unconfirmed at this time, reliable sources have informed MMA it is being developed, according to Dufour.

This approach fits in line with Governor LePage’s belief that some municipalities collect too much motor vehicle excise tax revenues and that other resources are available to appropriately maintain local roads, according to the information sent to the town from Dufour.

Along with the email the town was sent an excise tax survey asking for the amount of commercial vehicle excise tax collected by the town; how a reduction in those revenues would impact local road and bridge repairs; and how the proposal would impact the state-local partnerships that been developed to fund state road projects.

First Selectman George Richardson said, “All the excise tax collected, passenger and commercial, goes to taking care of our town roads, plus more is taken now from property taxes.”

Westport Island collects a total of $121,126 in excise taxes, $9,000 from commercial excise taxes and $112,126, from passenger vehicle excise taxes.

Westport Island’s estimated annual total expenditures on roads, and bridge maintenance, repairs, reconstructing resurfacing, plowing and local road assistance cost the town $256,877 annually.

Richardson said should the state decided to take the commercial excise tax the town would have to replace the lost revenue with property taxes, and cut back on local road work.

Dufour said the goal of MMA was to be prepared if a proposal of this kind is submitted to Legislature and asked that the town prepare and return the survey by Friday, January 18.

Westport Island’s survey has been completed, and will be sent immediately, according to Richardson.

Wright House water problems

The selectmen voted to have a water test done at the Wright house at the end of the Ferry Road, owned by the town.

The house is rented and recently there was a water issue, where the tenant was inconvenienced for between eight to nine days while the problem was being located.

The selectmen, in a vote 2-1, agreed to give the tenant a $200 credit from the monthly rent payment for the inconvenience.

Public address system for Town Hall

The selectmen received a letter from the Dorothy Q. Doggett Trust with a check for $500 enclosed. Under the terms of the Trust the money is to be used for limited purposes.

The purposes include: preservation of historic buildings, municipals programs supporting the arts, and projects that enhance the beauty of the community.

The trustees suggested using the $500 to defray the cost of a public address system for the town hall. The selectmen agreed and voted 3-0 to have the money used toward a public address system for the Westport Island historic town hall.

Westport Island RSU withdrawal meeting

Selectman Gerald Bodmer announced there would be a withdrawal committee meeting with the RSU 12 Ad-hoc Committee, Friday, Jan. 11, at the Wiscasset High School Library, beginning at 4 p.m. to continue negotiating the town’s purposed withdrawal plan.

Charlotte Boynton can be reached at 207-844-4532 or cboynton@wiscassetnewspaper.com.