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The Maine state legislative committee for Education and Cultural Affairs turned down a bill aimed to increase state funding for higher education brought before Maine’s legislature in February. The bill’s sponsor believes it is doomed to fail.
The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee voted 9-4 to recommend against adopting the bill – L.D. 773. The bill would require the state fund 45 percent of the university system, Maine Maritime Academy and the Maine Community College System budgets in fiscal year 2009-2010, and 50 percent of their operating costs in fiscal year 2010-2011.
“The State of Maine is committed to funding higher education. I don’t think we are committing enough funds – or adequate funds – for higher education,” said Sen. Justin Alfond, the bill’s sponsor.
Alfond said the bill was designed to promote discussion about higher education funding among legislators. He estimated the bill would have cost Maine $484.2 million over the next two years if it had passed.
Alfond, the chairman of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, said he expects the legislature to reject the bill at the next session. He said he sponsored the bill hoping the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee would reduce the money the bill asks for. The Maine House of Representatives referred the bill directly to the education committee after coming before the legislature and hasn’t been viewed by the financial affairs committee, according to L.D. 773′s status on the Maine legislature Web site. Alfond said he hoped to baby step his way to increasing higher education funding.
“A lot of things in Augusta happen in increments . sometimes you might get a little money . sometimes you might get a lot of money,” Alfond said.
UMS received $192,392,071 from the state in fiscal year 2009, according to John Diamond, director of external affairs for the system. That $192 million was 36 percent of the university system’s budget. The University of Maine received about half of the state appropriation that year.
“I’m not sure we could expect a bill like that to get funded,” said Rep. Emily Cain, D-Orono, who co-sponsored the bill.
“It is not unrealistic, in that it’s an approach that’s been used for K-12 education,” said Janet Waldron, vice president for Administration and Finance at UMaine, referring to the formulaic funding method Maine uses for primary education.
Waldron said the bill was unrealistic in terms of today’s economic times.
“I think we can always do more because higher education is a sure-fire investment. You know you’re going to get a high rate of return on your investment every time,” Cain said. “Right now when times are tough is when we need to be investing more in higher education. Higher education is a major part of what will help us recover from this recession.”
According to an economic impact report released by UMaine, every dollar of funding Maine contributes to the university generates about $7.65 of in-state economic activity.
Cain said, “Yes, it’s their [the education committee's] job to review all of the education bills and look for ways to improve . all forms of education across Maine. But they also can’t live in a bubble. They have to consider what is the impact if we spend X number of dollars on something.”
Cain said she wasn’t sure how she’ll vote for the bill when it goes before the Maine House of Representatives.
