0238-sb 0471

CHAPTER 238

SB 471 - FINAL VERSION

AN ACT relative to authorizing the town of Seabrook to establish a reserve fund for tax stabilization related to the decommissioning of the Seabrook nuclear plant; relative to ratifying certain annual meetings in Newfields, Salisbury and Milan; and relative to amending the Hampton Beach village district charter.

SPONSORS: Sen. Hollingworth, Dist 23; Rep. O'Keefe, Rock 21

I. Authorizes the town of Seabrook to establish a nonlapsing special reserve fund for tax stabilization related to the decommissioning of the Seabrook nuclear plant.

II. Ratifies the acts, votes, notices, and proceedings of an article of the Newfields school district meeting held March 6, 2000, the Milan annual town meeting held March 12, 2000, and an article of the Salisbury annual town meeting held March 14, 2000.

III. Makes a change to the Hampton Beach village district charter relative to a village district property tax exemption.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

238:1 Town of Seabrook; Nonlapsing Special Reserve Fund Authorized. Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, the town of Seabrook is hereby authorized to establish and maintain a nonlapsing special reserve fund for the purpose of tax stabilization to offset potential tax rate increases due to the decommissioning of the Seabrook nuclear power plant. Moneys appropriated or transferred to this fund shall be used as a revenue source to mitigate tax rate increases due to property valuation decreases at the time the Seabrook nuclear power plant is decommissioned.

238:2 Ratification of the March 6, 2000 Newfields School District Annual Meeting. All acts, votes, notices, and proceedings relating to article 1 of the Newfields school district annual meeting held on March 6, 2000, and the related public hearing, and notice thereof, held on January 29, 2000, are hereby legalized, ratified, and confirmed.

238:3 Ratification of the March 12, 2000 Milan Annual Town Meeting. All acts, votes, notices, and proceedings relating to article 2 of the Milan annual town meeting held on March 12, 2000 are hereby legalized, ratified, and confirmed.

238:4 Hampton Beach Village District; Charter Amendment; Tax Exemption Amended. Amend 1979, 414:6 to read as follows:

414:6 Hampton Beach Village District; Charter Amendment. The Hampton Beach village district is authorized to exempt owners of single family, owner-occupied residential dwellings in the Hampton Beach village district, which have not been rented at any time during the tax year, from that portion of the village district property tax attributable to the promotion of Hampton Beach as a tourist attraction.

238:5 Hampton Beach Village District; Referendum; Ballot Question Language Amended. Amend 1979, 414:7 to read as follows:

414:7 Referendum. Section 6 of this act shall not take effect unless it is adopted by a majority vote of those present and voting at a special meeting of the Hampton Beach village district warned and held within 60 days of passage of this act for that purpose. The district commissioners shall include in the warrant for said special meeting the following article: "to see if the village district will vote to adopt the provisions of an act of the 1979 general court amending the Hampton Beach village district charter to provide that owners of single family, owner-occupied residential dwellings in the Hampton Beach village district, which have not been rented at any time during the tax year, shall be exempt from that portion of the village district property tax attributable to the promotion of Hampton Beach as a tourist attraction." No official ballot shall be used for the voting on said article. If a majority of those present and voting on this question vote in the affirmative, section 6 of this act shall be declared to have been adopted. Within 10 days after said referendum the district clerk shall certify to the secretary of state the results of said vote.

238:6 Ratification of the March 14, 2000 Salisbury Annual Town Meeting. All acts, votes, notices, and proceedings related to the "Modifying Elderly Exemption" article of the Salisbury annual town meeting held on March 14, 2000, and the related public hearing, and notice thereof, held on February 28, 2000, are hereby legalized, ratified, and confirmed.