School consolidation and jail consolidation are about the only matters I have agreed on with Gov Baldacci. I was shocked, and pleased, that he proposed these initiatives. Vote to keep the school consolidation law, and stop funding needless duplication of administrative bureaucracy. Now, if only the Gov would seek to mandate that municipalities to start consolidating some of their services with other municipalities....imagine the property taxes that beleagured Mainers would save.
Letters
School column was flawed
Oct 29, 2009 12:51 am
This is in response to Bryan Dench's column against school district consolidation. (Oct. 25)
Maine has 290 school districts — too many for the student population. Since Mr. Dench is a lawyer for many of those school districts, it's not surprising that he wants to return to this expensive, outdated system.
What's surprising is that he uses faulty information to support his opinion.
Taxpayers will lose as much as $30 million a year unless Question 3 is rejected. Contrary to Dench's claim, 85 percent of Maine students are presently in school districts in compliance with the law. In just four months, there have been notable improvements in educational opportunities for students — and significant savings.
For instance, in Dixfield, Mexico, Rumford and seven other towns in the western foothills, school district consolidation saved $600,000 just by combining administrative offices.
It's possible they will save money on their legal bills, too.
Returning to the old, inefficient system of 290 school districts, with the shrinking school population, is a big step backward. It does nothing for the students, and the public can't afford it.
The voluntary approach to school district consolidation that Dench suggests hasn't worked. Incentives have been available, but they've been largely ignored.
As the Sun Journal noted, the long-term goals of consolidation are more valid and important today than when the law was passed two years ago. We shouldn't take money out of classrooms to pay for bureaucracy that isn't needed. It costs too much and hurts the schools.
Newell Augur, Brunswick
Campaign Manager, No on 3
Comments
Do I understand jalbrecht
Submitted by CatTailMom on Thu, 10/29/2009 - 09:32.
Do I understand jalbrecht correctly that s/he believes the entire state should Vote No on 3 simply because his/her taxes went down? If so, everyone needs to do a lot more research before heading into the voting booth. Check out http://forum.mdischools.net/ for a solid history of school reorganization in Maine and then decide whether this is really a good law for Maine. In my view, it's not.
I concur. My taxes have gne
Submitted by jalbrecht1 on Thu, 10/29/2009 - 07:55.
I concur. My taxes have gne down by $600 in part because of school consolidation. Vote No on 3
Jon Albrecht Dixfield
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CatTailMom yes, there are
CatTailMom yes, there are some people who value money more than education. It's the "who cares about anyone else as long as it benifits me" mentality.