Background
The Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 1:00 PM at
📍 Cross Building, Room 208, Sewall St., Augusta, to discuss LD 1579 “An Act to Abolish School Budget Referenda" and LD 1586 "An Act to Amend the Regional School Unit Budget Validation Referendum Law.”
If you want to read LD 1579, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP1037&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 1586, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP1044&PID=1456
In lieu of personally testifying on these bills, you may testify via Zoom, or by online testimony using the following link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/. Do this prior to the public hearing.
See below for EVERYTHING you're going to need to get this done, including testimony!
🔹 Steps to submit testimony online:
1️⃣ Click: "Public Hearing".
2️⃣ Choose a committee: "Education and Cultural Affairs" - using the drop-down menu.
3️⃣ Choose date: April 30, 2025, 1:00 PM - using the drop-down menu.
4️⃣ Click: LD 1579 (these bills are being heard at the same time, you only need to submit once, but feel free to submit to each one).
5️⃣ Enter your testimony in the box (or click the checkbox if you want to testify via Zoom).
6️⃣ Complete your contact information.
7️⃣ Click: "I'm not a robot"
8️⃣ Click: "Submit/Register".
You can find a video tutorial on 'Submitting Testimony in Maine" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYnhN4ZlpoQ
Action Time-Window
⚠️ Please consider taking action by April 28, 2025
Template
The below is a community member's testimony. Feel free to use it, something of your own (recommended), or something as simple as as "I oppose LD 1579, and "it ought not to pass." I support LD 1586 and it "ought to pass." To get other wording ideas, as online testimony is submitted for this bill, you can see it here: https://legislature.maine.gov/ctl/EDU/04-30-2025?panel=1&time=0&sortdir=0&sortby=2 after clicking on the bill number.
I oppose LD 1579 “An Act to Abolish School Budget Referenda” and support LD 1586 “An Act to Amend the Regional School Unit Budget Validation Referendum Law.”
LD 1579: We reserve the opportunity to address each warrant article individually, and scrutinize them accordingly. Since there are at least a dozen warrant articles for funding various aspects of the district school budget, it makes sense to take a look at each once for suitability, vs a lump sum vote that will come later after each warrant article is examined and approved.
LD 1586: This bill requires the question for a budget validation referendum for a regional school unit budget to include the dollar amount of the budget. Common sense. Why wouldn't the $$ figure be in the question?
I oppose LD 1579, and it “ought not to pass.” I support LD 1586 and “ought to pass.”
Credit for the above goes to our community member Danny (@DannyEmerson61) from the South Berwick Republican Committee (@BerwickSouth).
Disclaimer
A community member has shared this personal template for those who wish to express their views on the bill(s) mentioned above. This template is not an official PTP position, and using it is entirely up to you. Pine Tree Patriots encourages civic participation but does not endorse or support specific actions or policies. Please remember this is an individual initiative.
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