School mergers should be allowed to play out
Portland Press Herald, October 22, 2007
(excerpt) ...when the Legislature convenes in January, members will be considering 62 bills that from their titles aim to rein in, repeal or weaken the law that reduces the number of Maine's school districts from 290 to about 80.
The law aims to cut the total amount spent in the state on school administration. But it is still controversial in some quarters, especially rural areas where geography has created logistical problems with mergers.
Some consolidation opponents have already argued that the sheer volume of bills is a sign that the law should be repealed. Instead, legislators should try to weed out the bills designed to derail school district reform from the handful of measures that would actually improve it.
One area that should be addressed is the financial burden some districts would be forced to take on through merging. For instance, if Georgetown voters approve a merger with Bath and five other towns, their taxes would go up. If they refuse to merge, the town would be penalized by the state.
A program designed to save towns money by reducing administration should not force them to spend more, even in the short term. The point of the law was not to penalize communities but to reduce expenses all around.
(excerpt) ...when the Legislature convenes in January, members will be considering 62 bills that from their titles aim to rein in, repeal or weaken the law that reduces the number of Maine's school districts from 290 to about 80.
The law aims to cut the total amount spent in the state on school administration. But it is still controversial in some quarters, especially rural areas where geography has created logistical problems with mergers.
Some consolidation opponents have already argued that the sheer volume of bills is a sign that the law should be repealed. Instead, legislators should try to weed out the bills designed to derail school district reform from the handful of measures that would actually improve it.
One area that should be addressed is the financial burden some districts would be forced to take on through merging. For instance, if Georgetown voters approve a merger with Bath and five other towns, their taxes would go up. If they refuse to merge, the town would be penalized by the state.
A program designed to save towns money by reducing administration should not force them to spend more, even in the short term. The point of the law was not to penalize communities but to reduce expenses all around.
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