January 23, 2009
- Consolidation referendum: a letter to Orono voters, Alison Mitchell, Friends of Orono Schools
- LD 158: An Act To Allow an Alternative Organizational Structure To Act as a Fiscal Agent for Each Member or Municipality in That Alternative Organizational Structure, Rep. Schatz; co-sponsors: Reps. Cleary, Eaton, Gifford, Johnson; Senator Damon
- Consolidation "may raise teachers' salaries", Turn Maine Blue
- Education Committee schedule: Jan. 26-30
- Brewer-area officials see tax hikes in RSU decision, Nok-Noi Ricker, Bangor Daily News
...“The labor market adjustment for the communities joining with Brewer would increase, not insignificantly,” Connerty-Marin said... “This means that much of the added cost for the teachers would be part of the EPS calculation, and therefore the state would pick up a substantial portion of that cost. Brewer will only pick up 43 percent of the ‘over EPS’ costs in the district.”
- Hermon-area voters near RSU decision, Kevin Miller, Bangor Daily News
- [Easton, Mars Hill, Bridgewater, Washburn] Voters reject County-area schools proposal,
...Shaw said SAD 42 would await direction from Education Commissioner Susan Gendron regarding the next step. “She will probably direct us to pursue other options under the law, which we will do,” he said. “We will have to wait. I am very certain of what we are not going to do — the voters have spoken very clearly about that.”
- [Alton, Bradley, Greenbush, Milford, Old Town] Where one RSU makes good dollars and sense, David Wollstadt, Bangor Daily News
...The cost of wage equalization, called “leveling up,” appears to be a deal-breaker for RSU 15 (Brewer and adjoining school districts), but we believe the cost will be more manageable here. Education Commissioner Susan Gendron has said that leveling up will trigger increased state subsidies, so we believe that the cost will be approximately equal to the combined penalties for failure to consolidate.
- Jefferson voters urged to OK school plan Tuesday, Ellie Day, Kennebec Journal
...It seems to me that there is some confusion about the purpose of the vote on Tuesday. Next week's vote is concerned only with whether the local plan as proposed should be adopted. It is not whether voters agree with statewide consolidation.
- Public education is good investment when economic resources limited, Mark Gray, MEA, Morning Sentinel
...As the product of a wonderful public education and the 1st chair concert trombone player in an excellent music program, I must reject the "tone deaf" description of me in the newspaper's Jan. 14 editorial, "Time for a little self-restraint."
- By Brian Hubbell at 01/23/2009 - 07:25
- News
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