Dissecting the Supplemental: Education
January 19, 2010 -
Most people in Maine are aware that we are faced with a $438 million shortfall in revenue. Governor Baldacci submitted a supplemental budget in December that cuts heavily from education and health and human services and forces additional efficiencies in state government, but does not raise any additional revenue.
The legislature's role over the next few weeks is to study the Governor's supplemental budget. Each legislative committee will examine the supplemental budget and make recommendations.
Too often, the public is left out of these important decisions. Therefore, over the next few weeks, I will dissect a different piece of the proposed budget. This week, I'll start with education.
Adult Education
Adult Education has $580,000 of proposed cuts. There are currently 107 local Adult Education programs across the state. Adult Education provides a critical pathway for job retraining, adult literacy, high school completion and skill training. Each program across the state will suffer if these cuts are enacted.
Child Development Services (CDS)
CDS is a statewide program for 0-5-year-olds with developmental disabilities and delays. It serves around 5,000 children in statewide offices. The Governor has proposed a $1.29 million cut. This cut will reduce the 15 CDS sites across the state to 9, reduce services to federally-mandated minimum standards, and reduce parental choice for 5-year-olds wanting to continue with CDS services.
K-12 General Purpose Aid
The supplemental budget has a proposed $73 million cut from K-12 aid. These statewide cuts will result in a smaller state subsidy for every local district. The net result of these cuts means job losses, program cuts, and increased class sizes. The local property tax increases normally required to make up for these losses have been waived for the 2010 and 2011 fiscal year, which means no tax increases, but severely underfunded schools. The state is currently providing 44.67% of statewide funding for education, well below the legally mandated 55%.
Community College System
The Governor has proposed almost $3.4 million in cuts to the Maine Community College System (MCCS) over the next two years. These projected cuts will result in the MCCS serving 440 fewer students, cutting 3-to-4 full programs and sections of programs. It will also mean layoffs of 20 to 25 staff and administrators, and a loss of tuition revenue of $500,000.
University of Maine System (UMS)
The UMS has just over $12 million in proposed cuts. This would mean the loss of 80 full-time positions, reduced academic courses at all seven universities, and negative impacts to student services such as purchasing lab equipment, library acquisitions, and necessary facility repairs. This $12 million is in addition to the $18 million that the UMS cuts to balance their 2010 budget.
Finance Authority of Maine (FAME)
FAME is expected to lose $511,000. FAME has proposed reducing it's funding for grants and loan awards for financial assistance. The two programs being identified are: the Educators for Maine Program, which assists early child care educators statewide, and the Maine Health Professional Loan Program, which assists medical students.
