[Local-Maine-Schools] Maine State Chamber of Commerce

[Dick Atlee]

Brian Hubbell wrote:
> Should we explicitly add our support to this?  It seems significant
> that this coalition has been joined by the Maine State Chamber of
> Commerce:
> 
> Position of Maine Municipal Association, Maine Education Association,
> and the Maine State Chamber of Commerce:
> http://mdischools.net/20070320_CoalitionPosition.pdf

I think it would be an excellent idea for a committee of the most 
articulate and knowledgeable Union 98 School Board members to meet with 
whoever is/are the most effective person/people in the State Chamber of 
Commerce to get them on OUR page.

The CC's point about the implications of the TABOR rejection including a 
rejection of a one-size-fits-all approach is excellent.  And it is great 
that they are supporting the Education Committee plan.  But as they 
themselves point out, even that needs adjustment, and I'm not sure they 
have a grasp on just where or how much that adjustment needs to happen. 
  For instance, the issue of health insurance costs, which I found 
surprisingly far down the U98 list (when, to listen to our recent 
discussion, it seems to be of primary non-instructional-cost importance) 
isn't even acknowledged in the CC's simple repeat of the requirement for 
a 10% reducatiion in admin costs.

I have a feeling that if the CC and U98 got on exactly the same page, a 
slightly augmented CC statement would be a very powerful tool.

Dick