A group of Democrat legislators, headed by Rep. Mana Abdi (D-Lewiston), would take away Mainers’ say in their local school budgets, opening the door for schools to secure potentially massive spending and tax increases without taxpayer approval.
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“The intention behind budget referenda was to ensure accountability, but in pratice they have become costly, low turnout exercises that do not reflect the will of the broader public,” said Rep. Abdi.
Rep. Abdi put forward LD 1579, “An Act to Abolish School Budget Referenda,” with support from five Democratic co-sponsors.
Abdi’s bill removes the current legal requirement for regional school districts to hold a referendum vote to give Mainers within the district a say in their proposed budget.
School budgets are a significant factor in determining property taxes, with local property taxes accounting for 37 percent of Maine school funding last year. The referendum requirement protects local homeowners from facing massive property tax hikes without the opportunity to be heard, as in taxation with representation.
Abdi wants to remove those protections, taking power away from homeowners living in regional school districts, and give that power exclusively to school administrators and budget committees.
She argued during her testimony that, because budget referendums have low voter turnout, their results do not reflect the will of the public, and she claimed that they delay budget approval unnecessarily.
She even claimed that because of low voter turnout, abolishing the ability of citizens to have a direct say in their school budgets will actually somehow preserve democratic integrity, rather than weaken it. She believes that it is more fiscally responsible to allow the school board to unilaterally agree on a budget than to give the taxpayers who will fund that budget a direct say.
“In the interest fiscal responsibility, democratic integrity, and functional government, I urge the committee to support LD 1579,” said Abdi
If the bill is successful, Mainers could see even greater property tax hikes amid already high taxes, driving homeowners or potential homeowners out of the state.
The meeting proved contentious, with multiple testimonies on both sides.
“This bill should not pass! Citizens need to be involved in the school budget process.
School budgets are the largest part of any municipal budget and have the largest impact
on our community and our wallets. When school budgets rise unnecessarily, our taxes
go up. That is straight forward,” said Margaret Myatt of Kennebunkport
“If education monies are being directed in a way that does not support educating children, the community needs to be a check and balance. Yes, voting for school board members is a check and balance, but it is the the [sic] flow of dollars that really count. I urge you to defeat this bill and let the citizens be heard,” she added
The Maine Policy Institute (MPI) also testified against the bill.
“By eliminating the requirement for voters to validate school budgets at the ballot box, this bill strips Maine citizens of one of their most direct means of overseeing and influencing how their hard-earned tax dollars are spent on public education,” MPI said.
“Proponents argue that referenda are costly or redundant. But the modest costs
associated with conducting a vote are far outweighed by the benefits of fostering civic
engagement and maintaining the legitimacy of local governance. Participation in school
budget votes educates the public, holds school boards accountable, and ensures that
budgets are responsive to the community’s will,” they added.
Unsurprisingly, multiple education-related groups testified in favor of the bill that would allow schools to receive funding more easily.
“The current referendum requirement, meanwhile, allows for an arbitrary decision by community members who may not have the full context of the budget, potentially leading to an outcome driven by misinformation or a lack of understanding of the school’s needs. These referendum votes also rarely demonstrate the true voice of a community, as participation is routinely very low,” said the Maine School Superintendents Association.
“When a budget is rejected, the district must repeat the referendum process, which is time consuming, costly, and often disruptive to school operations. In some cases, this delay can result in uncertainty for staffing, programming, and resource planning–ultimately affecting students,” said the Maine Principal’s Association.
Notably, the Maine School Boards Association (MSBA) broke with the other educational groups and opposed the bill, expressing concerns that the proposal would erode democratic processes.
“We believe that current state statute already allows for flexibility in the budget validation process, and L.D. 1579 would remove an important part of the local democratic process, eroding trust and connection between schools and communities,” said the MSBA.
“If residents of a town or district continue to say that they would like to maintain the referendum process, why would we want to take it away? We believe this should remain a local decision,” they added.
Given that school boards would be the supposed remaining voice of the people should Abdi’s bill pass into law, MSBA’s critique of the measure is telling.
Despite the contentious hearing, the bill, led by progressives, does have a chance to pass through the Democrat-controlled legislature.
Disclosure: The Maine Wire is a project of the Maine Policy Institute
