Gov. John Baldacci has vetoed a bill which sought to amend the funding formulas involved in the school district consolidation bill passed last year.

He sent legislators this message today:

To The Honorable Members of the Maine Legislature:

I am enclosing S.P. 741, L.D. 1932, “An Act to Amend the Laws Regarding School Funding,” which is being returned without my signature or approval.

This bill began as a means to eliminate technical barriers to the school administrative reorganization law enacted last year. The elements of the original bill are non-controversial and were supported by all 13 members of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs.

During the legislative process, the bill was significantly amended and its original purpose was lost. The non-controversial technical changes became encumbered with language that I cannot support.

In its current form, L.D. 1932 would undermine the effectiveness of the education reforms that passed the Legislature last year with broad bipartisan support. Specifically, the bill would allow for the formation of “super unions,” which would encourage more bureaucracy and allow for the expansion of an inefficient means of school governance. Maine would likely end up with more school districts, not fewer. Further, the bill would decrease the transparency of the budget validation process and increase confusion, making it more difficult for voters to get a complete picture of how their tax dollars are being spent on education.

Nonetheless, agreement still exists on the need for the technical amendments that prompted L.D. 1932. Most schools districts have been working diligently since January to reduce school administration, improve student outcomes and save tax dollars. Unfortunately, in some places this good work has stopped as Reorganization Planning Committees, School Board members, town officials and citizens have been forced to wait for the tools they need to move forward.

To help them move forward, I have submitted legislation that includes the non-controversial elements of L.D. 1932. The new legislation will allow school units to negotiate local cost-sharing agreements, will allow districts that receive the minimum special education subsidy to continue to do so when they join a new school district and will remove the 2 mill requirement. The bill will also correct a technical error by creating a single budget format for all districts.

Maine must continue to push for the highest quality education for our children, but we must also continue to seek greater efficiencies in the way the State delivers services. For these reasons and the others outlined above, I firmly oppose L.D. 1932 and respectfully urge you to sustain my veto.

Sincerely,
John E. Baldacci
Governor