In a ballot initiative more than 10 years ago, Maine voters said they wanted 55 percent of the cost of public education to come from state revenues. Our communities would cover the remaining 45 percent.
That decision by voters reflected our belief that all students should have the opportunity for a solid education no matter where they live in Maine, because we all benefit from well-educated citizens.
But that hasn’t happened.
The state has failed to act as directed, leaving Maine people and Maine communities struggling with the burden.
When the state fails to pay its share of school funding, our children and our communities suffer. Towns have to make up the difference by raising property taxes, cutting services or both. Meanwhile, the burden on property taxpayers keeps increasing, and our schools keep trying to do more with less.
This is not sustainable.
Fortunately, a group of parents, teachers, students and community members is offering a solution.
The Stand Up for Students campaign is proposing a referendum for the November 2016 ballot that will provide more than $100 million for our schools.
The proposal is funded by a 3 percent surcharge on the incomes of the wealthiest Mainers. It won’t apply to individuals who make less than $200,000. Those who make more would pay an additional $30 for every $1,000 they earn above $200,000.
So if you earn $250,000, you’d pay $1,500 to help fund our schools.
This 3 percent fee on the top 2 percent of the population will directly benefit 180,000 students across the state. It will provide an additional $110 million for our schools, and it will help us as property taxpayers and as citizens of Maine.
The Maine Parent Teacher Association is proud to support this initiative.
Parent-teacher associations exist to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. PTA members speak for all children, not just our own, because every child matters and every child needs a quality education.
PTAs and other parent groups are sometimes able to raise money for things such as library books and playground equipment, but volunteer groups cannot substitute for proper funding. Parent engagement in education also has a direct value to learning, but no amount of parent engagement will make up for inadequate or inequitable funding.
We know that making sure every child can get a great education at a great public school is one of the best investments we can make in our children, our state and our future. Ensuring Maine people have the skills and the tools to succeed is one of the best things we can do to strengthen our state.
And property taxpayers cannot keep shouldering the burden placed on them by the state’s failure to act responsibly. We need a better system to ensure our schools have the resources they need.
Stand Up for Students is asking the wealthiest among us to pay a little bit more so we can all benefit.
We know that making sure every child can get a great education at a great public school is one of the best investments we can make in our children, our state and our future.
The Stand Up for Students referendum invests in our children, provides additional funding for our schools and reduces the burden on property taxpayers.
It’s a win-win-win.
Ginny Mott of Lakeville is a teacher and the president of the Maine PTA.