Opportunity Maine scored a victory last Monday when the Secretary of State’s office informed USM’s Student Body President Andrew Bossie that enough signatures had been gathered for the bill proposal to be considered for legislation. A press conference was held in the State House’s Hall of Flags by supporters of the citizen’s initiative.
This initiative would introduce a bill that gives tax breaks on student loan repayments if a student graduates a Maine institution and works in the state for five years afterward. The bill’s exact wording reads, “Do you want to allow a tax credit for college loan repayments to any taxpayer who earns a future college degree in Maine and continues to live and work in Maine?”
In order for Opportunity Maine to be considered for legislation, a total of 55, 087 voter signatures needed to be collected on petitions. Last month, Bossie and other members of Students for MainePIRG and the League of Young Voters delivered 73,391 signatures gathered from every corner of the state. Of these, the Secretary of State’s office deemed 63,285 signatures to be valid, exceeding their requirement by 8,198.
Rob Brown, campaign director for Opportunity Maine, said that the signatures were gathered in record time between Oct. 8, 2006, and Jan. 25, 2007.
Bossie began the press conference by thanking Opportunity Maine’s 500 plus volunteers, over 350 of which hit the streets during the fall and winter of 2006 to gather signatures on petitions.
“We collected enough signatures to put a ballot question on next year’s ballot,” said Bossie, “or, if the legislature sees fit, to pass the legislature, that will allow us to extend educational opportunity in the state of Maine and also help promote job creation and grow the economy.”
A third option for legislatures is to write the proposal as a competing measure. “The legislature decides that they like to fix the legislation and send it out,” said Diane Russell, a member of Opportunity Maine’s steering committee and a 2005 USM graduate. “It competes on the ballot” with other like bills.
Getting the proposal on the ballot and considered by state legislation is only the first step, said Bossie. Representatives of Opportunity Maine plan to campaign for the bill throughout the year.
The fact that most student supporters of Opportunity Maine will not directly be affected by the proposed bill does not seem to deter them from pushing forward.
“You should always leave the world better than you found it,” said Russell.