[Local-Maine-Schools] Appropriations live budget discussion

[Brian Hubbell]

Both caucuses so far seem to be following the Governor's budget
proposal fairly closely regarding education spending.  So they
apparently aren't yet proposing touching the base $36.5 million
savings from consolidation.

The Democrats propose only restoring the co-/extra-curricular cuts
that the Governor recommended a couple of weeks ago in his change
package.

The Republicans also propose restoring those co-/extra-curricular cuts
(at a cost of about $5.4 million).  But they also are recommending
going back to the increased student/teacher ratios proposed under the
Governor's original LSRS program (which saves them another $12.5
million) and they suggest saving another $1.5 by not buying school
buses in FY 09, these presumably being not needed on account of
consolidation.

Appropriations returned to their respective caucuses for the rest of
the afternoon.  They may reconvene late tomorrow afternoon.  And they
are definitely scheduled to meet again on Sunday afternoon.