[Local-Maine-Schools] Fw: Yes on 3

[skip greenlaw]

Another excellent letter to the editor.  Please circulate to all your e-mail 
addressees.

Thanks,
Skip
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <betsyscs at aol.com>
To: "Skip Greenlaw" <skipg at midmaine.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 1:46 PM
Subject: Fw: Yes on 3


> FYI
> ------Original Message------
> From: Michael Kosowsky
> To: rpc-and-csd-board at daimler.ivy69.net
> Subject: Yes on 3
> Sent: Oct 29, 2009 1:24 PM
>
>
> Here's a letter to the editor I've submitted on question 3.
> I hope you find it useful in discussing the issue with
> folks over the next few days.
>
> There's been plenty written about the general problems with
> the reorganization law, so I focus on the "damned if we do,
> damned if we don't" financial implications for the Five Towns.
>
> Thanks,
> MK
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> YES ON 3
>
> The school boards representing Appleton, Camden, Hope,
> Lincolnville and Rockport urge you to vote "yes" on question
> 3 to repeal Maine's school reorganization law.
>
> In our towns, the reason to vote for repeal is simple: it
> saves us money. If the law is not repealed, our schools lose
> state funding whether or not we reorganize.  Under our
> latest estimates, if we do reorganize, we lose about
> $375,000 per year in state subsidy across the five towns and
> may see an in increase in staffing costs of $420,000
> annually within a few years; if we don't reorganize, we must
> pay penalties that total about $600,000 per year.
>
> If the law is repealed, those costs vanish.
>
> For voters in other communities, "yes on 3" is still the
> right choice.  Repealing the law means that districts that
> have not reorganized will not have to pay penalties.
> Districts that have reorganized and have found it has not
> worked will have the opportunity to back out.  And districts
> that have reorganized and found that it indeed provides
> better education for their students will be free to remain
> reorganized.
>
> Our five towns are committed to pursuing consolidation when
> it will improve the education of our children and where it
> will reduce costs.  But the reorganization mandated by this
> law does neither. Voters in the Five Towns overwhelmingly
> defeated the reorganization plan last January; please take
> the next step and vote yes on 3 to repeal the flawed
> reorganization law itself.
>
> Michael Kosowsky
> Chair, Five Town CSD School Board
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Betsy Clemens Saltonstall
> 7 Lexington Lane
> Rockport, Maine 04856
> 207-596-4823