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Politicians’ Overspending Threatens Student Learning in Maine Schools
School Shutdown Proposal Shows Politicians' Real Priorities
AUGUSTA - A proposal made by some politicians and bureaucrats to plug budget holes created by politicians' overspending would severely impact the quality of education for students attending Maine's public schools.
A Bangor Daily News article last week reports that Education Czar, Commissioner Susan Gendron, offered a proposal to the Legislature's Education Committee to close public schools statewide to plug a $66 million budget shortfall, an idea that was also endorsed by Representative Patricia Sutherland.
At the committee meeting, Gendron said a statewide shutdown of public schools would save $7 million each day. According to the article, Gendron believes cutting students' class time was a more appropriate way to achieve savings than freezing salaries of all school employees, eliminating unnecessary positions or reducing non-instructional spending.
According to the Maine Development Foundation, between 1979 and 2006, non-teaching staff in Maine's public schools climbed 52 percent while student enrollment declined 16 percent during the same time.
Rep. Sutherland, a former teacher, echoed Gendron's support for school shutdown days when she said, "...it is a way to make a substantial cut."
"When politicians and bureaucrats even entertain the idea of cutting Maine's school year to correct their overspending, it becomes clear how out-of-touch Augusta's political class really is," said TABOR NOW State Chairman David Crocker. "Commissioner Gendron and Rep. Sutherland want to sacrifice our students' education to continue funding unnecessary programs and positions with our tax dollars. If students aren't their top priority, then what is?"
TABOR, Question 4 on the November 3 ballot, would limit state spending to the rate of inflation plus population growth. Only with voter approval can politicians increase spending beyond that limit, which would require politicians to prioritize how they spend taxpayers' money.
"Had politicians controlled spending, we would not be facing such a massive shortfall, and Augusta's political class would not be threatening Maine students' education to fill its budget hole," Crocker said. "When we see politicians behave like this, it shows just how important it is to pass Question 4 on Election Day."
Question 4 on the November 3 ballot will ask: "Do you want to change the existing formulas that limit state and local government spending and require voter approval by referendum for spending over those limits and for increases in state taxes?"
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CONTACT:
David Crocker, Chairman david@tabornow.com
YES ON 4 | TABOR NOW