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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=skipg@midmaine.com href="mailto:skipg@midmaine.com">skip greenlaw</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=skipg@midmaine.com
href="mailto:skipg@midmaine.com">skipgreenlaw</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 13, 2009 6:05 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Press release</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>MAINE COALITION TO SAVE SCHOOLS<BR>CONTACT:
Betsy Saltonstall, 596-4823</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- <BR></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-SIZE: 20pt">Five-Town
District backs repeal proclamation<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The Five Town CSD school board has voted to adopt a
proclamation supporting repeal of the school consolidation law on Nov. 3 – a
grassroots approach it is urging other districts to take.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The vote of the CSD, based in Camden, was unanimous. A group
of citizens is raising money to get the proclamation printed in the local
paper.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Board member Betsy Saltonstall, who worked on the
proclamation, said it is important that boards opposed to the consolidation law
urge residents to get out and vote yes on Question 3.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>“The law penalizes some communities that voted not to
consolidate, and exempts others. It simply isn’t fair,” Saltonstall said.
<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>“To make matters worse, the $5 million in penalties on those
communities will hit next year when state aid to schools is being drastically
cut. We need to repeal this law before it does irreparable harm to schools,
particularly in smaller towns,” she said.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Five Town CSD includes Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville
and Rockport, which face $604,000 in penalties for rejecting the consolidation
mandate.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Saltonstall is encouraging other boards and communities to
adopt similar proclamations because she believes the campaign will be won at the
grassroots level.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>The proclamation cites multiple problems with the law
including:<o:p></o:p></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
The school consolidation law is a rigid mandate that lacks flexibility needed
for<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">districts
to find real cost savings, regardless of size or location.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
The Legislature did not recognize voluntary cooperation among districts as a
legal<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">alternative
to mandated consolidation.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
65 districts, representing 55 percent of the state’s enrollment, were exempt
from<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">consolidation
based on size, location or other special dispensations. Of the
others,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">106
communities rejected consolidation.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
Despite a goal of reducing the state’s 290 districts to 80, 218 remain because
the<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">people
of Maine have rejected the consolidation mandate.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
Mandatory consolidation has actually increased costs in some schools
and<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">municipalities,
increasing property taxes by as much as 25%.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
The law already has cost the state an estimated $4 million to implement, but
the<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Department
of Education says it’s too soon to quantify any real savings at the
local<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">level.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
Any cost savings that are finally achieved will be eaten up in many districts by
the<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">need
to level teacher pay scales.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
Communities that voted against consolidation face $5 million in penalties next
year<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">for
exercising their rights at the ballot box.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
Repealing the law will give districts that have reorganized the opportunity
to<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">reconsider,
and redress unforeseen negative consequences.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">•
The spirit of finding a better way is the Maine tradition, and repealing the
school<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">consolidation
law will give districts the flexibility to work together through
voluntary<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'TimesNewRomanPSMT','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">cooperatives
for the benefit of communities and the children they
serve.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
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