Concerns about local control of schools and job reductions dominated the questions put to Gov. John Baldacci at a forum Friday night on his plan to cut the number of school districts in the state from 190 to 26.
A crowd of more than 300 people, sometimes erupting into hoots of skeptical laughter, showed up at Deering High School. Many were teachers, school board members and school administrators.
The forum was one in a series that Baldacci has scheduled around the state as he tries to sell his sweeping proposal to cut about half of the state's 1,255 school administrative positions, abolish local school boards and replace them with regional school boards, and erase the disparities in per-pupil spending that now exist between cities and towns.
Baldacci estimates that consolidating special-education services and back-office administration will save roughly $250 million over three years. He plans to pour 55 percent into education and send 45 percent to communities for property tax relief.
On Friday, the governor and Education Commissioner Susan Gendron answered dozens of questions and took many more written questions home. Many in the audience came from communities in the proposed school district that would include Portland, Chebeague Island, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Falmouth, Gray, Long Island, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Yarmouth and South Portland.
"We have twice the number of administrators than the national average," Baldacci said.
The governor told the audience his plan is one of a handful of legislative proposals designed to produce administrative savings, and that he is open to other ideas.
Baldacci also said the boundaries of the 26 proposed regional districts could be adjusted.
Cape Elizabeth resident Michael Foley, a parent, asked how the plan would benefit his town's schools, which already share their administrative and maintenance services with the town and are home to some of the highest-performing students in the state.
"I think the status quo is working," he said.
Portland School Committee member Ellen Alcorn asked how the 120,000 voters would physically fit into the Portland district meeting to vote on the budget, as proposed in Baldacci's plan.
"There would be these mega-meetings. How would you visualize this?" she asked.
Gendron said it would be unlikely that all 120,000 voters would show up to vote.
William Michaud, a former school administrator and Portland resident, asked how many employees are in the Department of Education.
Gendron said her department had about 150 workers, about half the number in the 1990s, with 65 percent of their salaries paid through federal funds.
Bill Doughty, principal of Poland Regional High School and a Portland resident, suggested that the 26 districts be set up for the purpose of administrative efficiencies while keeping the existing governance system intact.
Doughty said local budget committees, which oversee the budget process, keep a close eye on spending, and he questioned whether regional boards could do a better job.
"That (the local budget committee) is where the rubber hits the road," he said.
Baldacci has scheduled at least two more forums, Tuesday in Bangor and Feb. 7 in Presque Isle. More may be scheduled next month.
The public will be able to comment on all of the consolidation bills when the Legislature's Appropriations and Education and Cultural Affairs committees hold hearings at 9 a.m. Feb. 5 at the Augusta Civic Center.
Staff Writer Beth Quimby can be contacted at 791-6363 or at:
bquimby@pressherald.com
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