“Charting Maine’s Future,” the 2006 Brookings Institution report, found that “Maine spends a lot on state and local government as a percentage of income, compared to other states.” K-12 education is the largest area where Maine outspends national and rural norms.

Peter Cipolloso, in his letter Feb. 23, “Lowering the cost of government,” argues that Maine must restructure local government to achieve savings. He describes, as a model of effectiveness, county government in Maryland. My family lived in Montgomery County in Maryland and we agree that county-run Maryland schools have exceptional achievement records.

With 200 school districts, 127 superintendents, and more than 1,000 school board members, Maine lacks a coherent educational framework to prepare students with the knowledge and skills to compete worldwide: too many administrative and policy cooks.

The Legislature killed Gov. John Baldacci’s logical proposal to consolidate school administration based on already self-organizing vocational districts. Baldacci dropped his proposal; students and communities are adversely affected by the haphazard consolidation that resulted.

Maine has 493 local governments for 1.3 million people. Consolidating services could generate huge savings. Gov. King once remarked, regarding each small fire department’s wanting a ladder truck, couldn’t they share? In LURC, Maine’s large administrative unit that incorporates towns-in-name-only, counties provide services, and property taxes are low.

Local control has an emotional/historical appeal, but its costs are high. It serves certain community purposes: sports, arts, local history. In education and provision of services, it holds Maine back.

We need to talk.

Judith Berg, Buckfield