Budgets are a reflection of priorities. Whether it’s our own personal budget or the state’s budget, we plan, save and spend based on what is important to us.
One of the biggest responsibilities faced by the Legislature this session is to craft the state’s next two-year budget. Already, the Legislature’s budget writing committee has spent weeks reviewing the budget proposal put forth by Gov. Paul LePage. And right now, the committee is conducting public hearings on his proposed two-year budget. By all accounts, the governor’s proposal contains many controversial items. In fact, even his own budget analyst called it “a budget of desperation.”
For us, in our community, one of the most difficult aspects of this budget has to do with the governor’s proposed cuts to public education. Our community is not alone with our concern about the harmful impact the governor’s proposal will have. In fact, more than 26 towns, including Biddeford, and school districts across the state have enacted formal resolutions in opposition to the governor’s proposed budget.
Undoubtedly, these proposed cuts to education will hit our local communities hard. Biddeford’s public schools will lose $725,000. The community schools of Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, making up Regional School Unit 21, will lose more than $1.1 million. And RSU 23, which includes Old Orchard Beach, Saco and Dayton, will lose $337,000. Cuts like the ones proposed by the governor are reminiscent of the adage, “death by a thousand cuts.”
Already, schools and teachers are being asked to do more with less. We cannot ignore the simple truth that when funding is cut to public education, school districts are negatively impacted from our classrooms to our schools ”“ and communities are often put in financial distress.
Because of these drastic cuts, our towns are placed in a tough spot: Cut school programs, eliminate teachers, or increase the number of students per class? Raise property taxes? Or, all of the above?
This should not be acceptable to anyone.
In fact, many people are outraged by the cuts. More than 250 people from across Maine have testified against the governor’s budget, including parents, students and teachers who are united against these cuts.
Is there anything more valuable to us than our children? Is there any investment more worthy of our time, our energy and our money, than an investment in our children, and in their future? Education is the best economic equalizer that exists. It levels the playing field and promotes opportunity ”“ but only when we fund it, when we prioritize it, when we value it.
We believe the people of Maine have a point, and that education is a value worthy of our investment, both at the state and local level. As lawmakers, we were elected to do a job: Stand up for our values and stick up for our community, not push aside our responsibilities by shifting costs on to local taxpayers.
We firmly believe that it is time to move forward with a budget that will, instead, reflect our priorities and our values. We need a budget that properly invests in our future: Our children, and our public schools, and we will work with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle to make this happen. We hope the governor will join us.
— Sen. David E. Dutremble is a Democrat who represents the communities of Arundel, Biddeford, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport. He lives in Biddeford with his wife and children. His column appears on the first Monday of each month. Sen. Linda Valentino, a guest contributor to the column this week, is a Democrat who represents Buxton, Dayton, Old Orchard Beach, Saco and part of Biddeford. She lives in Saco with her husband, Curt.
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