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Maine Group Pushes to Get Votes for Higher Education Bond Issue

Posted on: Tuesday, 4 October 2005, 21:00 CDT

By Beth Quimby, Portland Press Herald, Maine

Oct. 5--Mainers have never turned down a bond issue for higher education, but supporters of a $9 million bond issue for improvements to the state's public universities and community colleges say they're pushing hard for votes on Nov. 8.

They created the Citizens for Higher Education political-action committee and kicked off a campaign Tuesday, urging voters to approve Question 6. The bond issue would be used for building and equipment improvements at six of the seven universities and all seven of the community colleges.

Supporters said an uncertain national economy, concerns about high taxes in Maine and high energy bills make education funding a harder sell than in past years.

Voters will be faced with four other bond issues totaling $86 million on the November ballot before they get to the education bond issue. Some supporters say they worry voters will lose enthusiasm for spending by the time they get to Question 6.

"We are very concerned this year because it is Question 6," said John Fitzsimmons, president of the community college system.

About $4 million of the bond will go to cover construction projects at Maine university campuses, including $2 million for a new Osher Lifelong Learning Institute building on the University of Southern Maine's Portland campus.

The institute provides courses for about 950 students age 55 and older.

If the bond passes, USM will receive another $4 million for the project from the Bernard Osher Foundation, a San Francisco private charitable group that focuses on education. The building would be built on land bounded by Bedford Street and Interstate Route 295, said USM spokesman Robert Caswell.

Another $2 million would be spent on improvements at five other university campuses, including $295,000 at the University of Maine at Augusta, $850,000 at the University of Maine at Farmington, $290,000 at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, $250,000 at the University of Maine at Machias and $300,000 at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Some $5 million of the education bond would be spent on Maine's fast-growing community colleges. Enrollment at the seven colleges has increased by 44 percent since 2002 when the state's technical schools were converted to community colleges, attracting an additional 3,300 students.

The growth has put a strain on classrooms, parking lots and technology, said Fitzsimmons. This year about 12,500 students are enrolled at the colleges.

Southern Maine Community College, an 83-acre ocean-front campus in South Portland, has 4,390 students enrolled in degree programs.

About $1.3 million would be used to renovate the Health Science Building at SMCC, where enrollment doubled in the past three years, more than any other community college. The building, home to the college's 12 health science programs, has serious structural issues. Renovation work will include removing the exterior walls to repair rusted steel joints and replacement of the walls.

Other community college projects include $715,000 for renovations at Central Maine community College in Auburn, $1.1 million for Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, $935,000 for Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, $427,000 for Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle, $299,000 for Washington County Community College in Calais and $178,000 for York County Community College in Wells.

Marvin Druker, a political science professor at the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston Auburn College, said private polls in the past month show that all five bond measures will pass. Mainers generally view bond issues as job creators and good for the economy, he said.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Portland Press Herald, Maine

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Source: Portland Press Herald

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