Recently, the Harpswell Selectmen received a petition presented by some of its townspeople asking that the Town leave M.S.A.D. No. 75. Several questions have been raised by School District community members regarding the process and the impact on Harpswell and the School District should the withdrawal process go forward. On January 28, Harpswell will vote to decide whether it will form a committee to enter negotiations with M.S.A.D. No. 75 to determine the terms for withdrawal. A majority vote is required to pass. Should it pass, once the terms are agreed to by the Town’s committee and the School District, a final vote will be held in Harpswell to decide if the Town wishes to leave the District. That vote requires a 2/3 majority to pass. This communication seeks to identify and answer some of the most substantive questions we are being asked. Please feel free to contact me if you have additional questions about this process.

What does the withdrawal process entail?

A document from the State Department of Education can be found on the District website (www.link75.org) which outlines both the statutory process and the required elements of the withdrawal agreement.

Why do the petitioners want Harpswell to withdraw from the District?

The petitioners believe that Harpswell’s local cost per student is disproportionately and unfairly large when compared to the cost per pupil borne by the other three District towns. Because Harpswell’s mill rate for education is below the State threshold to generate State subsidy, Harpswell’s entire share of the District budget (except for $189,936 in special education subsidy and $115,521 in other revenues) is provided by Harpswell’s property taxes. Harpswell’s share ($7,241,489) of the total District budget ($33,819,170) is 21.4%. It raises $6,936,032 of its share through local property taxes to educate 583.5 students which means that the Town puts $11,884 behind each Harpswell student. The other towns in the District generate State subsidy because their education mill rate is above the State 8.26 mill threshold; therefore, the amount needed to be raised by property taxes is less.

Town	Local Contribution	Total Contribution Local + Subsidy	# of Students	Cost/Student from Local $$	Total Cost/Student
Bowdon	$1,873,897	$ 5,427,732	566	$ 3,311	$ 9,590
Bowdoinham	$1,837,624	$ 4,428,871	456	$ 4,029	$ 9,712
Harpswell	$6,936,032	$ 7,125,968	583.5	$11,884	$12,212
Topsham	$7,077,870	$16,072,499	1,511.5	$ 4,683	$10,633

 

Do the petitioners want Harpswell to withdraw for educational reasons?

No. They have specifically stated they are satisfied with the education their children receive from the District.

Has a study been done to evaluate the financial and educational impact on Harpswell and the School District should the withdrawal occur?

No. Information has been provided the residents of Harpswell with preliminary financial data for Harpswell regarding its potential educational costs should it leave the District. Some of the financial information would only be available once the withdrawal terms are settled. There has been no comprehensive study of the financial implications for District taxpayers, or of the possible impact on the education of District students, including Harpswell’s students.

Would the process for developing the withdrawal agreement serve as a study?

The elements of the withdrawal agreement as specified by Law ask the withdrawing town to define how it will educate its children and specify what commitments to the District need to be negotiated. The agreement terms do not ask for a cost/benefit analysis or an educational analysis of the effect of withdrawal on the District.

Does the Law require that the vote to develop the withdrawal agreement be held within a specific time frame? There is no mention of a time frame for this first vote in the Title 20 (education) statutes that define the process.