The Auburn School Department receives $14.5 million from the city’s property tax revenue. Is that too little? Too much? Just right?

The City Council is cutting $1.4 million from the 2004-05 School Department budget. Too much? Too little? Just right?

Do residents of Auburn feel well enough informed to make these judgments about what is, after all, their money? All meetings of the Auburn School Committee are open to the public, yet the public rarely appears.

Two fictional Auburn citizens, David and Goliath, have agreed to share their recent conversation in the hope that it will encourage you to get informed about, and involved in, the life of the Auburn schools.

Goliath: Hey, Dave, long time no see.

David: Oh, hi Goliath. I saw in today’s Sun Journal that both your kids made the honor roll at Edward Little. You must be proud.

Goliath: Yes, the Auburn schools have been great for them. Speaking of the newspaper, Dave, I just read that you guys on the School Committee are complaining about the $1.4 million cut in the School Department budget. Give me a break! Every year the schools ask for more and more of our property taxes. The School Department must get over 60 percent of our property tax revenue. I’m glad the City Council is holding the line. Enough is enough.

David: Actually, Goliath, in this current year, the School Department receives 39 percent of the property tax revenue. Last year, the schools received 42 percent. In fact, over the last five years, the School Department’s share of property taxes has declined from 45 percent to 39 percent. Your tax rate may be increasing, but it is not because of the schools.

Goliath: Well, a little belt-tightening is not a bad thing.

David: Belt-tightening! Don’t you know that the School Department has lost 24 teaching positions over the past three years? I can’t believe…

Goliath: Calm down, Dave. You must admit that the Auburn system is top-heavy with administrators – all those assistant principals and deans. Don’t we need to focus on academics?

David: We do focus on academics, and the assistant principals and deans are crucial to that academic mission. Society’s problems don’t stop at the schoolhouse door. Did you know that in 2002, 2.1 percent of Auburn sixth-graders and 23.4 percent of ninth-graders have come to school either drunk or high? That 15 percent of sixth-graders report feeling unsafe in school? That 12.1 percent of sixth-graders and 24.6 percent of ninth-graders have attacked someone with the intent to harm? The schools don’t create these problems, but society expects the schools to solve them. The assistant principals and deans have the task to make the schools a safe place where all can learn.

Goliath: I heard that we are going to save a lot of money by cutting some teaching positions. I know that it is tough to lose your job, but it makes economic sense. Slightly larger classes are worth it.

David: 14 1/2 teaching positions, to be precise. Some classes might be a lot larger – 23 or more students instead of 19. Other classes might not be any larger. All the research shows that smaller classes lead to better education. In addition, the loss of teaching positions means fewer advanced placement courses at Edward Little.

Goliath: Didn’t the teachers get a new contract this year? I wish I had their salary and benefits.

David: Did you know that the average teacher salary in Auburn is approximately $35,000. That’s below the state average and well below the average salary in Lewiston, Bangor and Brunswick. Yes, the school committee did negotiate a new three-year contract that calls for minimal raises. The teachers will also pay more of their health insurance costs. Our children spend at least 6 1/2 hours per day with the teachers. We need to make sure that we have an excellent faculty who are fairly compensated.

Goliath: But Dave, we are all in a tough position. The economy is lousy. The City Council is trying its best to attract economic development to Auburn. That’s the solution. If the schools have to take a temporary hit, so what? The sacrifice is worth it.

David: Tell me, Goliath, what company or family is going to relocate to Auburn if Auburn students are not meeting the No Child Left Behind and Learning Results standards? If EL has only limited advanced placement offerings? If classes are overcrowded? If kids are afraid to go to school? A healthy school system is more attractive than a tax incentive. The schools will always be here, the big boxes won’t.

Goliath: Yeah, but you can’t deny that the bottom line is that you want to raise our taxes.

David: No. The bottom line is to increase the portion of the property tax revenues that goes to the school department. Why not cut the property tax pie in a different way? I, too, am an Auburn taxpayer who is concerned about the tax rate.

Goliath: I’m confused. What should I do, oh wise one?

David: Get informed and stay informed. Attend School Committee and City Council meetings; call you city councilor or your school representative. Write a letter to the Sun Journal. volunteer in the schools.

Goliath: Hmm … I’ll think about it. By the way, maybe you can help with this: my son didn’t make varsity on the El…..

David: Sorry, Goliath, gotta go.

David Das is the Ward 5 Auburn School Committee representative.