To the Editor:

On November 8, voters in Maine Applied Technology Region 9 will receive a ballot with a single referendum question: “Do you favor authorizing the Cooperative Board of the Region 9 School of Applied Technology (“Region 9”) to accept and use the federal grants, to the extent awarded, to construct and equip new career and technical education facilities as described below?” It then describes three potential projects which are candidates for funding. Please note that any such projects approved will be built entirely with grant money and not a penny of local funds.

If Region 9 is offered one or more grants but voters have failed to approve the referendum question, the money will simply be spent elsewhere to benefit someone else’s kids. It’s very rare for a ballot to contain a referendum question upon which voters of all political leanings (liberal, conservative, whatever) can agree, but this is one. I hope you will join me in voting to approve Region 9’s acceptance of grants.

Norman G. Clanton
Newry