Question 4: Maine Trails Program

The gist

This resolution would allow the state to borrow $30 million to fund the Maine Trails Program. This program would design, develop, and maintain trails in the state. It would unlock matching funds of at least $3 million.¹

Ballot question

An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Promote the Design, Development and Maintenance of Trails for Outdoor Recreation and Active Transportation, Do you favor a $30,000,000 bond issue to invest in the design, development and maintenance for nonmotorized, motorized and multi-use trails statewide, to be matched by at least $3,000,000 in private and public contributions?¹

Yes means	No means
I want to borrow $30 million for trail improvements.	I don't want to borrow money for trails.

Tell me more

• Eligible trails include public use trails that are nonmotorized (25% of funds, motorized (25% of funds), or multi-use (50% of funds) throughout the state.¹
• Grants will be awarded competitively to municipalities, the state government, or nonprofits.¹
• Sustainable, accessible, or inclusively designed projects will be prioritized.¹
• Projects must have 10% matching funds and be supported by a municipality, state agency, nonprofit, trail user program, business, or the public.¹

This is a bond issue – if voters approve the bond, it means that the State of Maine is allowed to borrow money for the project described in the ballot question and has to pay it back over 10 years. Learn more about how bonds work.

Follow the money

Principal: $30 million Interest: $8.25 million Total cost: $38.25 million¹

The money will be used to

• Improve public trails in the state.

The money will be coming from

• $30million bond issued by the state and paid back through the budget and taxes over 10 years.¹
• 10% matching funds.¹

Pros

The primary arguments for this referendum are:

• It would improve trails that are publicly available.
• More trail improvements are needed after the increasing number of storms.

Cons

The primary arguments against this referendum are:

• It would increase the amount of bond debt the state has.

Who cares

Support²

• L.L.Bean
• ATV Maine
• Maine Municipal Association
• Maine Snowmobile Association
• Maine State Chamber of Commerce
• Maine Tourism Association
• Maine Youth Camping Association

Opposition

Nobody has registered opposition to this bond.

Further reading

Full text
Ballotpedia article
Portland Press Hearald article

References

1. Bellows, Shenna. Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election. Accessed October 5, 2024. ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

2. Ballotpedia State Desk. Maine Question 4, Development and Maintenance of Trails Bond Issue (2024). Ballotpedia. Accessed October 5, 2024. ↩