This November’s State Ballot will include Question 3 (Citizen Initiative): “Do you want to repeal the 2007 law on school district consolidation and restore the laws previously in effect?”
The question on the Sept. 29 ballot in RSU 12 member towns will be, “Do you favor approving the Regional School Unit No. 12 budget for the upcoming school year that was adopted at the latest Regional School Unit budget meeting?”
If you believe regional school units are a good idea or a bad idea you need to cast that vote in November. This is about how school systems are organized and administered.
The Sept. 29 vote is to approve a budget amount set by you – the citizens of Alna, Chelsea, Palermo, Somerville, Westport Island, Whitefield, Windsor, and Wiscasset – in the Sept. 19 regional budget meeting.
September 29 is your opportunity to do your part to educate the 2100 students in our member towns because it is our towns’ obligation under state law to provide an education for our children, and the school system needs a budget set to do that. The annual budget supports programs and services for kids.
So by all means vote your opinion, but vote regarding regional school consolidation in November, and vote regarding a budget to educate our children on Sept. 29. It really is that straight forward.
Anyone who tells you to vote in September based on how you feel about the concept of regional school consolidation is both irresponsible and misguided.
It makes no more sense than to vote in November based on how you feel about the budget to operate our eight town’s schools as set in our own regional budget meeting. They are votes about the two different questions stated at the beginning of this article.
Please vote, and do vote your conscience, but make sure you know which question you are casting your vote about.
Gregory Potter
Superintendent
Sheepscot Valley Regional RSU 12
