Voters in Augusta, Maine will decide whether to authorize the city to issue $4,455,000 in bonds to fund capital improvements to fire services, city streets, and city facilities on March 22.
The city charter authorizes the Augusta City Council to borrow up to $750,000 without voter approval. Anything greater must be submitted to voters for approval.
The Augusta City Council voted to refer the bond measure to the ballot on Jan. 20, 2022, by a vote of 6-0. At the same meeting, councilors also approved $750,000 in bonds for rescue equipment and other infrastructure projects. The total bond project was $5.2 million.
A majority vote is required to approve the bond measure.
City Councilor Linda Conti said, “I want to say to everybody who hates to borrow money, because I hate to borrow money too, that this is an investment in the city and we have a great credit rating, so don’t be afraid. This is not something we lightly undertake, and we need to do this.”
In 2021, Augusta voters approved a bond measure that authorized the city to issue up to $20,477,655 in bonds to fund land acquisition for the construction of a police station. It was approved with 84.35% of the vote.
On election day, polls will be open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Absentee ballots can be submitted until 8:00 pm on election day.
In 2022, Ballotpedia is covering local measures that appear on the ballot for voters within the top 100 largest U.S. cities and state capitals, such as Augusta, Maine, and throughout the state of California.
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