Headline misleading

What a “puff piece” A.J. Higgins’ article was when he concluded on Jan. 25, “Study finds tax reform results positive.” Of course, he was referring to the new LD 1 study. His conclusions were not accurate.

My kudos goes to Susan Cover of the Kennebec Journal, who wrote about the same study and concluded “tax relief seen slim.” She accurately points out that property taxes went up or stayed the same in 315 municipalities and dropped in only 152 communities. A new Chamber of Commerce study has found that 72 percent of respondents’ property tax bills increased in 2005!

As the state senator who sponsored the fair school funding formula that Essential Programs and Services (EPS) replaced last year, I am very concerned that EPS has lowered mill rates for education in the 90-plus wealthiest districts and increased mill rates for education in the 150 poorest districts.

We can’t ensure that all children receive an equal chance at a good education by causing mill rates to be three times higher in rural Maine than in urban or suburban Maine. Many students in rural Maine currently have to ride the bus three hours a day. We, as legislators, are being told that EPS – year two – has not as many “losers” (41 of them) as in year one. Rural Maine – hang on!

With my formula, an annual increase of $25 million in school funding resulted in no more “losers” than EPS did last year with an increase of $250 million dollars!

Making the rich districts richer, and the poor districts poorer, is not in the best interest of Maine. I hope the misleading headline used in Higgins’ article wasn’t there because the Bangor Daily News editorial staff has supported EPS and its unfair treatment of small schools.

Sen. John Nutting

Senate District 17

D-Leeds