STATE HOUSE
Educators' union decries funding cuts
BY MATTHEW STONE, Staff Writer
AUGUSTA -- The union that represents 25,000 Maine school employees called on legislators again Tuesday to raise taxes to prevent $34 million in cuts proposed for state education funding.
Katherine Ayer, an art teacher in the Fayette and Manchester elementary schools, right, talks to Rep. Matthew Peterson, D-Rumford, at a Maine Educators Association event Tuesday night at the Augusta Civic Center.
Staff photo by Joe Phelan
EDUCATION ON THE TABLE: Sen. Lisa Marraché, D-Waterville, chats with Waterville High School math teacher Joyce Blakney at a Maine Education Association event Tuesday night at the Augusta Civic Center.
Staff photo by Joe Phelan
Additional Photos Below
At a legislative dinner reception at the Augusta Civic Center, Maine Education Association officials urged lawmakers to consider a temporary, 1-cent hike in the state sales tax or a 50-cent cigarette tax hike.
"Without increased revenue, we will be forced to make drastic cuts," Patti English, a Winthrop music teacher and president of the Winthrop Education Association, told more than 200 central and western Maine teachers and more than a dozen legislators. "During these tough times, we should not be cutting one of our most valuable resources: public education."
State education funds would slip to $930 million for the 2010-11 academic year under the supplemental budget legislators are working to finalize. That's down from the $964 million school districts are receiving this year in state subsidies.
"The cuts to funding of education will send the state backwards," said Larry Morrissette, a Maranacook Community High School music teacher and president of the Maranacook Education Association.
Maine Education Association leaders have repeatedly called on legislators to consider a temporary sales tax hike as the state deals with diminishing revenues. But the union officials' push for more tax revenue is in direct opposition to Gov. John Baldacci's pledge to balance the budget without raising taxes.
"Arguing for tax increases is never easy," said Christopher Galgay, the union's president, "but neither is laying off a teacher."
Legislators at Tuesday's reception were doubtful that the union-requested tax hike would pass legislative muster.
"I think we need to reserve these options for the next session," said Sen. Lisa Marraché, D-Waterville.
That's when legislators will likely be dealing with another difficult budget, Marraché said. And state education coffers will no longer have the benefit of the $59 million in federal economic stimulus funds that are propping up 2010-11 school budgets.
Rep. Thomas Saviello, R-Wilton, said raising taxes specifically to benefit public education is a difficult proposition.
"If you increase a tax, everybody's going to want a piece of it," he said.
Matthew Stone -- 623-3811, ext. 435
mstone@centralmaine.com
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Additional Photos
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MAKING A POINT: Rep. Thomas Saviello, R-Wilton, and Skowhegan Elementary third-grade teacher Travis Works listen to Carrabec High School teacher Lisa Savage at a Maine Educators Association event Tuesday night at the Augusta Civic Center. Staff photo by Joe Phelan |
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15 COMMENTS
logicalview said...
The people of Maine have been warned. Democrat Sen. Marrache has spilled the beans. She will not increase taxes in an election year but if you vote her in again, hang onto your wallets!
March 10, 2010 at 7:20 AM Report abuse
Govt2Big said...
Those so-called unions are really nothing but PACs for the extreme liberal movement. If the Maine Education Association and the National Education Association really cares about their members, they shouldn't have given so many major political donations to "Citizens Unified for Maine's Future" (Source: http://www.mainecampaignfinance.com) and other Far-Left campaigns. It's time for the honest teachers to quit the unions/PACs and help solve the real problem.
March 10, 2010 at 7:21 AM Report abuse
Bacon said...
I didn't even read the whole story. Seems like everyone is screaming that their taxes are too high, but the moment these people are personally effected by lower taxes they holler about how unfair it all is. Crybabies! Suck it up!
March 10, 2010 at 8:04 AM Report abuse
Bacon said...
I didn't even read the whole story. Seems like everyone is screaming that their taxes are too high, but the moment these people are personally effected by lower taxes they holler about how unfair it all is. Crybabies! Suck it up!
March 10, 2010 at 8:05 AM Report abuse
TiredMainer said...
Let me get this straight. I own two properties in Waterville, I never had children, and now i'm being asked to pay additional sales taxes on top of the imminent property tax increases for 2011? I'm tired of providing babysitting services for everyone!
March 10, 2010 at 8:16 AM Report abuse
TheSaint said...
I would be in favor of a TEMPORARY increase in the sales tax to get the State out of the red. The catch for my support is after the accounts are balanced the State would have to agree to pass Tabor legislation mandating they could spend only 90% of each dollar collected. The remaining 10% would go into a reserve fund. The fund could only be tapped by vote of the people in a referendum. NO exceptions to spending!
March 10, 2010 at 8:24 AM Report abuse
mdenis46 said...
Govt, same old mantra...NEA and MEA shouldn't make political donations? How about big insurance and pharma? Would you ban them too? TiredMainer, who paid taxes for YOUR education? I own a house in Waterville and my daughter graduated in 1997, yet I still pay taxes for others, the way others paid for me -- and you, if you went to school...
March 10, 2010 at 8:30 AM Report abuse
MeOverTaxed said...
Unions: killing industries and schools one at a time.
March 10, 2010 at 8:32 AM Report abuse
HoHum said...
I would consider the increase if they would agree to go to Merit pay for teachers not union increases.... I guess that will never happen so have fun in the unemployment lines like the rest of Maine
March 10, 2010 at 10:09 AM Report abuse
Govt2Big said...
The MEA membership needs to wakeup and realize how badly they are being hosed/used by that PAC! The MEA and NEA are no longer true unions, as they really act more like a PAC these days. Just follow the money and you'll see this fact for yourself.
March 10, 2010 at 10:45 AM Report abuse
null said...
Yes, drastically increase the cigarette tax to give schools funding. That way smokers can do a little good while slowly killing themselves!
March 10, 2010 at 10:51 AM Report abuse
TUVLYXlha2Vy said...
Find a merit may system that works, and you will see the union and teachers support it. Teachers and the union are NOT against merit pay. They ARE against merit pay being based upon student scores on standardized tests. Kids put zero effort into them. Parents of affluent kids often have their students exempted from them. Kids routinely fill them out "A", "B", "C", "D"....repeat. They dont receive a grade for the assessments, so they dont care and dont put in any effort whatsoever Find a system that bases pay on the ACTUAL teaching and learning, and you will see teachers and the union support it. Nobody has come up with a realistic proposal yet.
March 10, 2010 at 2:11 PM Report abuse
Oakey said...
Hey the next time you take a paid vacation remember a long time ago a union got that for you! The next time you take a sick day or use your insurance to get well remember a union got that for you a long time ago. Your grandfathers and grandmothers faught for those benefits.
March 10, 2010 at 5:49 PM Report abuse
chromedome said...
Simply put, teachers and other public employees are overpaid. When the rest of us have to suck it up economically then teachers and other government bureaucrats also should. By that I don’t suggest letting these public employees go, just bring their pay scale back to where the rest of us are. Our economy is shrinking, for example do we want a few highly paid teachers or enough reasonably paid teachers? Unlike people in the privet sector, government employees don’t have to compete to keep their incomes the taxpayer has allowed an entitled group to take charge.
March 12, 2010 at 9:30 AM Report abuse
TUVLYXlha2Vy said...
ChromeDome, Why should a teacher who has put in the effort to get their education....take classes to ensure that they are fluent in the most current teaching methods and who are working to further their education, have to take a pay cut? Just to get down to your level? I dont think so. And you all cry about teachers being unable to teach. Cut the pay that a teacher receives and you will immediately see that teacher prep schools have a tremendous decline in the enrollment in their education programs. Maine teacher are already 43rd in the nation in pay. Cut it anymore and they drop to the absolute bottom. NOBODY will want to teach.
March 15, 2010 at 9:39 AM Report abuse