[Local-Maine-Schools] Fw: 3/13/2007: Gendron, Rier, and Silvernail at Appropriations (follow-up)

[Paul Murphy]

Sent this earlier and I haven't received it. Can someone on the list (aside
from Brian who go it in his personal box) confirm receipt?

P
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paul Murphy" <paul at exploreacadia.com>
To: "Brian Hubbell" <sparkflashgap at gmail.com>; "Local Maine Schools List"
<local-maine-schools at lists.svaha.com>
Cc: "Brian Hubbell" <sparkflashgap at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 8:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Local-Maine-Schools] 3/13/2007: Gendron, Rier,and Silvernail
at Appropriations (follow-up)


> Well it surely does appear that we have our work cut out for us. My
question
> is where that work will be most fruitful. While I don't think we should
> ignore the appropriations committee, it seems to me their mindset is clear
> and unalterable. It's not like they haven't heard all sides of this
debate.
> The full legislature might be a sweeter target. Also in terms of chambers
of
> commerce, The Maine State Chamber of Commerce and its president, Dana
> Connors, former Commissioner of the Maine Department of Transportation,
have
> been vocal in their support of mandatory consolidation, if not the
> governor's specific plan.. So it's no surprise that the governor and
> commissioner are playing their tune in that arena.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Brian Hubbell" <sparkflashgap at gmail.com>
> To: "Local Maine Schools List" <local-maine-schools at lists.svaha.com>
> Cc: "Brian Hubbell" <sparkflashgap at gmail.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 7:50 PM
> Subject: [Local-Maine-Schools] 3/13/2007: Gendron, Rier,and Silvernail at
> Appropriations (follow-up)
>
>
> > >From people who attended yesterday's meeting of the Appropriations
> > Committee with the Department of Education we have received some
> > supplementary information.  As it serves to complement what I reported
> > yesterday, I'll paraphrase below.
> >
> > Apparently the Appropriations Committee has decided to take over from
> > the Education Committee the work of developing the legislation for
> > regionalization.
> >
> > As you can imagine, this does not sit well with many members of the
> > Education Committee.
> >
> > Also in contrast with Education Committee, which went to some
> > considerable effort to consult and work with representatives from the
> > Maine School Management Association and MMA, the Appropriations
> > Committee is now asking Commissioner Gendron, Jim Rier, and David
> > Silvernail to build their draft.
> >
> > Almost certainly this draft will require mandatory consolidation of
> > all school units under 2500 students on a much quicker time frame into
> > districts that will likely be set at the state level and will not be
> > subject to local ratification.
> >
> > >From the Appropriations Committee's point of view, any process that's
> > not mandatory makes the outcome too uncertain. And, as they will
> > depend on the savings immediately in this next biennium, they need the
> > numbers to be both large and definite.
> >
> > I'm not sure about this, but yesterday apparently I may have
> > misunderstood the savings that Silvernail now claims are possible
> > through mandatory consolidation.  I thought he was claiming 120
> > million over three years.  Apparently, it may be nearly 340 million in
> > three years, or nearly 120 million in a single year.
> >
> > It appears that we have a couple of weeks to influence the process.
> > So start thinking about what you would do to help develop a strategy
> > that will have a positive outcome.  The coalition of MEA, MMA, the
> > Chamber, and others are meeting this morning to discuss strategy.
> >
> > Clearly we need to make certain that legislators hear from us.  We
> > also need to get our towns involved in the process as well as our
> > community business leaders.  Characterizing any objection as conveying
> > "fear and misinformation", the Governor's team is going around to
> > Chambers of Commerce trying to influence them into believing that his
> > bill will save all kinds of money and will reduce their property
> > taxes.
> >
> > So, we have our work cut out for us and need to get even more active
> > if we believe that this new direction is detrimental to education.
> > Many of us feel strongly that we are risking damaging an excellent
> > educational system for some reason that is as yet unexplained.
> >
> > If the savings they claim are so reasonably achievable, why can't they
> > show us the details of how they expect the savings to be accomplished?
> > _______________________________________________
> > Local-Maine-Schools mailing list
> > To send a message to the list, write to:
> >  Local-Maine-Schools at lists.svaha.com
> > To unsubscribe or change subscription settings:
> >  http://lists.svaha.com/mailman/listinfo/local-maine-schools
> >
> >
>