With the passage and the signing into law by Gov. Paul LePage of LD 422, Lincoln County has stopped legal proceedings against Sagadahoc County over inadequate funding levels for operation of the Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset.
“Basically it’s now going to be 50-50,” said Lincoln County Administrator John O’Connell. “We’re still paying more for a handful of inmates and paying the debt service, but it’s a step in the right direction.”
LD 422, sponsored by Sen. David Trahan (R-Waldoboro), makes equal the tax assessment for correctional services for Lincoln County and Sagadahoc County and will take place for Lincoln County on July 1. O’Connell said the county will make a retroactive payment for roughly $257,870 to provide a “clean slate.”
“Approximately three years ago the Legislature mandated that Lincoln and Sagadahoc County’s property tax commitment for the jail be frozen at the 2007-2008 spending levels,” Trahan said. “The bill was construed to set aside the cost sharing agreement that had been based on inmate count. At that time, Lincoln County’s share was $3,018,361 and Sagadahoc County’s was $2,295,849 and would fund the operations of the facility.”
Both O’Connell and Trahan said while the jail is jointly operated, freezing the levels at that rate left a 57 percent to 43 percent split in the contributions made by each county.
Lincoln County year-to-date receipts for a nine-month period were also significantly higher than those of Sagadahoc County, which was introduced as evidence by lawmakers in support of the bill
After LePage officially signed the bill, Lincoln County Commissioner William Blodgett made a motion to cease the legal proceedings immediately. As a testament to the importance of the bill, O’Connell said he was prepared to go to Augusta himself to make sure it was actually signed.
“Combining and allocating the two counties tax commitments brings more fairness to the funding system,” said Trahan. “I’m glad the legislature recognized the need to change the current system.”
