Committee hears Willette’s bill on petition process

    AUGUSTA – The State and Local Government Committee recently heard a bill sponsored by Rep. Mike Willette, D-Presque Isle, that would streamline the warrant article petition process and save towns money at the same time. The petition process is used by residents who want to get an item on their town’s warrant for consideration during a town meeting.      The bill, LD 763, would allow a town’s municipal officers to stop the progress of a petition article if passage of the article would violate state or federal law or the charter of the municipality. Residents will sometimes advance petitions that violate law and then cost the taxpayers of the town significant money to fight in court, said Willette.
     “This bill makes the petition process more efficient,” said Willette. “It in no way takes away the right of residents to petition.”
     Willette submitted the legislation after being approached by the Maine Municipal Association, which testified in favor the bill.
     “This is a housekeeping measure,” Kate Dufour of the Maine Municipal Association said to the Committee during her testimony. “We want to keep people involved; that’s what local government is all about.”
     The Committee is scheduled to hold a work session on the bill at 11 a.m. March 30. At that time, the Committee may vote on its recommendation for passage.