Legislators make progress on school consolidation

Morning Sentinel, May 24, 2007

(excerpt) A plan presented by Mitchell would require school districts to have a vote on school consolidation in January 2008 and implement consolidation by July 2008.

A plan favored by Rep. Tom Saviello, an independent from Wilton and a member of a rural caucus of legislators active in the consolidation debate, would allow districts to vote on consolidation in January 2008 and implement it in July 2008. But that plan would also allow districts needing more time to wait until June 2008 to vote and July 2009 to implement their new consolidated school district.

"This is a significant step for some communities. We need to allow time to do it right," Saviello said, noting he was not speaking on behalf of the rural caucus. "This allows negotiations to go on. It allows people to adjust to the change that is going to take place."

In a bid to win support from Maine's many rural areas, Rep. Kevin Raye, R-Perry, presented a plan that would allow school unions to continue to exist in the proposed new regional districts.

"The biggest concern I hear about is the governance issue," Raye said. "Constituents ask, 'Is this about the quality of education and saving money for taxpayers, or is this about control?' This (proposal to allow school unions to continue) presents an opportunity for the Legislature to show this is about quality of education and saving money, not taking control."