York Town News
York County blasts school plan as "taxation without representation"
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK and OGUNQUIT - From the approximately 500 people who filled half the seats in the Noble High School Auditorium in North Berwick to those at local town and school meetings, the reaction to Gov. John Baldacci's school consolidation plan has been overwhelmingly negative in this part of the state.Tonight, Wednesday, Jan. 31, Sen. Peter Bowman, D-Kittery, who represents York, Ogunquit and other area towns, will be at the York Public Library from 6 to 8 p.m. to discuss the consolidation plan and educational issues facing the legislature at this time. Other area legislators are also expected to attend.
Then, this Monday, Feb. 5, local parent groups have raised the funds to hire a bus to Augusta for the daylong public hearing on the governor's plan, which has officials worried about quality of education and doubting whether coastal towns like York and Ogunquit will see any savings at all.
Last Thursday evening, Jan. 25, residents, parents, teachers and municipal and school officials from across York County traveled to Noble High School to hear what had been billed as a presentation by Commission of Education Susan Gendron and Gov. John Baldacci on the state's "Local Schools, Regional Support" initiative to slice the number of districts statewide to 26, improve student performance and save money.
As the meeting began, it was announced that Baldacci never planned to attend - that there had been a miscommunication.
Baldacci was able to attend the other three regional meetings on the subject, held in other parts of the state within the same week.
As Gendron presented the plan, she spoke of savings on property taxes and strong educational opportunities, with more funds going into the classroom as local school administration is eliminated.
During the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, however, all but one person who spoke blasted the plan. Many asked why Gendron and Baldacci would propose something so radical - which removes local control and, in the case of towns like York, directly conflicts the provision of the home rule charter - as part of the overall state budget, and not as a separate ballot question for the voters to decide.
Gendron said local voters may attend the Feb. 5 public hearing, or submit 40 copies of written testimony in advance of the hearing, to help "shape, ultimately, what the legislature will vote on."
Officials and residents from Sanford, Old Orchard Beach, the Berwicks, Kittery, the Kennebunks, York and Wells were among those speaking out against the plan.
York Superintendent of Schools Dr. Henry Scipione, the entire York School Committee and York Board of Selectmen Vice Chairman Dwight Bardwell were among those who spoke at the community forum.
"This process just reeks to me of not being open and not being honest," Bardwell said when it was his turn to take the microphone. "I want to know exactly what York will save."
As was the case with many questions, Gendron replied that the details have not yet been determined and the information is not available, as large portions of the plan will be shaped by the new regions.
If the legislature approves the plan as submitted, the towns of York and Ogunquit will be included in the "Sanford" region, which numbers 17 communities and just shy of 18,000 students.
Scipione said the plan "breeches the moral obligation we have as educators" and agreed with Bardwell that it is likely to cost York much more in the long run.
York School Committee Vice Chairwoman Marilyn Zotos spoke vehemently against the plan.
"I had the chance to vote my conscience on Palesky and TABOR," she said of citizen-petitioned tax-reform initiatives that would have impacted local schools. "As a citizen of Maine, the governor is not giving me the right to vote my conscience on this proposal. … I am here to tell you that, as the vice chair of my board, no one from the state contacted me to ask what my constituents wanted."
The York Board of Selectmen and School Committee are unified in opposition to the plan, along with many other officials across the county.
"Please ask the governor to respect Southern York County," Zotos told Gendron at the forum.
Bardwell updated his fellow board members when the York selectmen met on Monday, Jan. 29.
"Every single question that was asked of her (Gendron) was answered, 'that's still to be determined.' … That was the answer we received on virtually every question," Bardwell said. "… All the towns around us, as far as I can tell, are all starting to take the same path. … Talk about taxation without representation."
Zotos also attended the selectmen's meeting, and pointed out that the total principle and interest owed on York's school buildings is over $22 million but, under LSRS, the town would lose control of those facilities while the taxpayers would be expected to continue to pay for local costs and take over a share of the state's debt for prior school construction - such as the massive Noble and Marshwood High School projects - within the "super-district."
Both Scipione and Wells-Ogunquit Superintendent Edward McDonough have pointed to the need for consolidation to reduce costs and the inefficiency of Maine's system. What they, and so many others across the area, are taking exception to is what has been called the "one-size-fits-all" approach that lumps communities into state-mandated districts ranging in size from about 1,000 students - smaller than York or Wells-Ogunquit currently are - up to 18,000 for the "Sanford" region and 20,000 for Portland.
Bardwell and York Board of Selectmen Chairman David Marshall agreed that LSRS will result in reduced educational performance in York at the same time that it causes a reduction of local oversight and taxpayer control.
"This takes away the control from the citizens of York for three-quarters of their tax bill," said Selectman Len Dorrian. " … All the good work the School Department has done … will be null and void."
The York Board of Selectmen has unanimously endorsed a resolution and a letter to Baldacci opposing the plan, which will be submitted to the public hearing next week.
"This is a very big deal," Marshall said. "… This is another level of government beyond the state, beyond the county."
Towns like York and Ogunquit will be taxed on their property valuation, he said, but that is not the formula that will be used to return funds to the towns.
As Zotos put it at last week's School Committee meeting, "What this means for education in York is it's coming to an end - what we've known - that sense that you're a part of the political process. … When you have these mega-districts … there is just no way that I think a citizen can feel connected… It feels like a dictatorship … it feels un-American, frankly."
Scipione urged local voters to contact their legislators and, if possible, attend the public hearing on Feb. 5 or submit written testimony.
York and Ogunquit Rep. Dawn Hill can be reached at RepDawn.Hill@legislature.maine.gov, 363-7594 or 337-3689; Sen. Peter Bowman can be reached at PeterBowman@comcast.net or 439-6481, and York Rep. Windol Weaver at RepWindol.Weaver@legislature.maine.gov or 363-4641.
Want to have your voice heard at Monday's hearing? Contact Joanna Weston at joannaweston@maine.rr.com or 363-7321 to reserve a seat on the bus to Augusta.
"Clothing of the Colonial period is optional," Zotos said Monday, reiterating, "We feel that what is happening is taxation without representation."
The hearing will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center before the Education Committee, co-chaired by Bowman and Rep. Jackie Norton, D-Bangor.
"I am optimistic what we learn will help us shape an efficient administration plan, which will improve student outcomes," Bowman said in the announcement of the hearing.
In addition to Baldacci's plan, other bills will also be discussed, including measures drafted by the Board of Education, Maine Children's Alliance and a coalition that includes the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Maine Municipal Association and the Maine Education Association. A release issued by the state last week indicated a link to those bills would be available at www.legislature.maine.gov, but such a link was not readily accessible at press time Tuesday.
If the legislature approves what Bardwell described as the "worst case scenario" plan, officials have indicated they may be exploring alternatives - including privatization or legal action.
In his words, "I think when you start to peel away the layers of this really stinky onion you're going to really realize there's a lot in this that's going to cost York more money than we're paying now for a poorer quality education."
