On Jan. 27, voters of SAD 44 will vote on the proposal to merge the school district with Rangeley. There are many reasons why the proposal should not pass.

The geographical distance between SAD 44 and Rangeley would make it cumbersome to operate as a single unit. The needs and desires of the Rangeley area would most likely be much different from SAD 44, and vice versa.

Forced consolidation is a misguided attempt by Augusta politicians to make taxpayers think the state is actually trying to save money. Forced consolidation has already cost thousands of dollars and will continue to be a drain on the taxpayers of Maine.

When has a bigger government bureaucracy ever resulted in taxpayer savings?

Lawmakers need to understand that real savings will occur only when the Legislature stops passing new regulations and mandates that place additional financial burden on local school districts.

Proponents of forced consolidation argue that it must be passed so we won’t be fined several thousand dollars by the state government. To that, I would reply that Martin Luther King Jr. became a national hero by peacefully defying stupid laws. Maybe it is time the taxpayers of Maine did the same.

Why not start with the voters of SAD 44?

Why not now?

I urge residents to vote “no” on forced consolidation.

Rick Whitney, Bethel