The latest proposal to come out of the legislature's Appropriations
Committee for school district consolidation has cause significant
concern in the City of South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, which would
be wedded by a single school board, superintendent and other shared
resources.

    In Cape, the reaction to any proposal that threatens
the town's efficient delivery of school services, high achievement and
unique town/gown collaboration is fraught.

    In South Portland there is a sense of bewilderment
as to why the city's school system needs to be consolidated at all,
given the fact that, with 3,071 students, it is large enough to qualify
as it’s own district and is larger than several other districts that
will be left alone (Gorham 2,723 students and Westbrook with 2,250
students to name two).

    The answer may have to do with the proposal's escape
clause, which would allow municipalities to opt out if they are willing
to forgo a portion of their state aid (somewhere between some and all).
For Cape that is roughly $2 million or 7 percent of the total budget.

    Cape Elizabeth, being too small to exist on its own
under the plan and sharing borders with two communities that can, had
to go with someone.

    Perhaps the committee members know that, given a
choice and a tolerable financial hit, Cape Elizabeth will opt out and
South Portland will then be able to exist as it does. Perhaps the
committee also realized that by forcing Cape into such a box, it could
save a bit of money.

    If the proposal has enough support among legislators, the question will become how much money?

    Hopefully, the legislators will realize they owe
each young person in the state some support for education, even if they
come from Cape Elizabeth.

              
          –Ward
Peck