LEWISTON — The School Committee on Monday night voted 4-3 not to endorse a statewide referendum in November that if passed would tax higher-income Mainers and give more money to schools.

Question 2 will ask Mainers whether they want to raise taxes on personal income over $200,000 a year and use that money to support classrooms.

Voting against backing Question 2 were Benjamin Martin, Matthew Roy, Linda Scott and Francis Gagnon. Voting to support Question 2 were Tom Shannon, Kristen Cloutier and Megan Parks. Two teachers and one parent asked the board to endorse the referendum, saying Lewiston classrooms need help.

Martin and others who oppose the question said they don’t want to tell people how to vote, that there’s no guarantee that state legislators would give more money to schools if the referendum passed.

Superintendent Bill Webster said the referendum sponsor, the Maine Education Association, has estimated Lewiston schools would receive $2 million more per year. Supporters said it could be $4 million.

Martin said he’s for equitable education but also favors equitable taxing. The referendum goes too far in raising taxes, he said.

Shannon responded by asking: “Since 2010, which incomes in the state have had the most reduction in their taxes?”

“The one this referendum attempts to raise,” Martin answered.

“The gravy’s been running off that side of the potato mound for a while,” Shannon said. “I’m just saying that the gravy should be shared evenly. We should all get some. I would hope that taking a position which supports more money for Lewiston students … is a tilting of the table to help that wonderful flavor run down all sides of the potato mound.”

Cloutier asked Webster whether Lewiston schools could use an additional $2 million.

“There is no question,” Webster said. But, he said, if the referendum passes, “there are more questions than answers” about how the money would be passed on.

Scott said she’d like to see schools get more, “but I have concerns. Are we going to have legislators get elected in November and completely change this?” as happened in 2001, when Mainers voted to have the state pay 55 percent of K-12 education, which never happened. “I have concerns that this is actually going to work for our community.”

Parks said she didn’t see the damage in not supporting Question 2. “Is there something I’m missing?”

Lewiston teacher Keith Levesque said committee members were making the issue more complicated than it is. The referendum would tax income over $200,000 at a higher rate. “The intention is to supplement, not to supplant. It goes into the General Fund and back to communities.”

Lewiston would get $4 million more a year, according to MEA estimates, if the state paid for 55 percent of schools, Levesque said. “It’s a significant chunk of change that would affect kiddos in our schools.”

Lewiston parent Tina Hutchinson agreed, saying the referendum earmarks the money for classrooms. She encouraged board members to question State House candidates on what they would do. “If they’re not going to support schools, don’t vote for them.”

Lewiston schools need more funding, said Hutchinson, who volunteers to deliver supplies to students. “Our classrooms sure need help. I get daily emails from teachers. We shouldn’t have to go the grass-roots way to get our kids pencil sharpeners or glue sticks.”

Lewiston taxpayer and teacher Brian Banton said Question 2 would provide a significant amount of money that would help Lewiston students. Supporting it is “a no-brainer,” he said.

School funding and taxes: Question 2 on Nov. 8 ballot
Legislation

Do you want to add a 3% tax on individual Maine taxable income above $200,000 to create a state fund that would provide direct support for student learning in kindergarten through 12th grade public education?

 

“The gravy’s been running off that side of the potato mound for a while. I’m just saying that the gravy should be shared evenly. We should all get some. I would hope that taking a position which supports more money for Lewiston students … is a tilting of the table to help that wonderful flavor run down all sides of the potato mound.” — Lewiston School Committee member Tom Shannon, speaking for Question 2

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