Hello ATVers, so, I have been accused of playing both sides on the weight bill that we just went and testified last Wednesday. MAC went there and supported NOT passing the 3500lb weight bill. ATV Maine and our lobbyist decided to testify in the not for nor against portion of the hearing. The reasoning was we are for ATVing and what the future brings for changes.
If we can produce a compromise that will work for riders, landowners, and businesses, then we owe it to our membership to work with the committee and try to produce something that we all can be happy with. Will it be all for the ATV community? Nope. Will it be all for the landowners? Nope. Will it all be for the businesses? Nope, but just saying no isn't what we wanted to do.
When your organization has a great lobbyist on our payroll working the legislature every day, we are truly fortunate to have Keith Herrick working for us and our membership. Just last year, we had a huge win for all ATVers in Maine when we got the Gas Tax bill changed. In doing so, we were able to put over $600,000 more dollars in the trail fund starting this year. All of you that belong to ATV Maine and pay your $10 to ATV Maine, it's starting to pay off and we are reaping the outcome. This bill wasn't what we all wanted, but again it was a compromise, so it's better to get something now and hopefully more when we have another study done.
ATV Maine is a firm believer in having to work with the landowners because it's them that hold all the cards and that is why we are working with them. We know that they already choose to allow 60" or 65" widths, and they choose to allow dirt bikes or not allow, so why not let them to decide if they want to allow 2500lbs or 3500lbs on their trails. The reason I mentioned both is because we don't know which bill may get passed or not. By allowing them to decide if they want the higher limit or not it will allow the oversized wheeler to register and use the trails that allow overweight wheelers.
We are now having landowners that are saying if it goes up and they MUST allow the larger weight they will shut down their trails. We also have some landowners that are saying if they don't go up to the 3500lbs they will shut down their trails to both snowmobiling and ATVing. A compromise is needed, and we believe the legislature is ready to address this issue.
Remember ATVers, we lost over 500 miles in the last couple of years and weight limits had nothing to do with it!
John Raymond
Public Affairs
ATV Maine
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