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12/03/09
(updated 12/10/09)
Committee sets Dec. 8 workshop to gather public ideas for addressing losses in school subsidy
The School Board's ad hoc Curtailment Committee will hold a community workshop on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009, from 7-8:30 p.m. in the High School cafeteria, 345 Ocean House Road.
The workshop will be an opportunity for citizens to share ideas with the committee, which is charged with recommending ways to address the financing needs of Cape Elizabeth schools in light of significant reductions in state subsidy.
"In short, our community needs to come together and problem solve," says a news release from the committee. "We need your ideas for ways to generate revenue, what we are willing to live without, and how much we are collectively willing to contribute in property taxes," it says.
"At the workshop, we will ask participants to gather in small groups and wrestle with these difficult issues—and any others you wish to offer," the release says.
Cape Elizabeth is facing unprecedented funding shortfalls in the next three years. Continued declining revenues has prompted the state to curtail its subsidy to Cape Elizabeth by approximately $621,000 (for a total reduction of $1,125,779 for this fiscal year) with possible further cuts to be made in January. Next year anticipated cuts will exceed $1 million, and fiscal 2012 may be worse.
A letter to the Cape Elizabeth community, signed by Hawkins and School Board Chairman Trish Brigham, says that a spending freeze instituted in October is expected to save more than $104,000. The School Department has also identified approximately $100,000 in savings from restructuring school-related debt.
"Dealing with the enormity of the reduction in state aid for this year and
next will require a marshalling of all of the community’s resources- creative thinking, collaboration, and volunteerism," says the letter, followed by an invitation to the workshop.
Residents planning to attend are asked to notify the superintendent's office, 799-2217, or e-mail andrea_fuller@cape.k12.me.us.
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