As we consider another tax (Question 2) for education, we should also consider the results obtained from prior spending increases and union influence on budgets.
Education spending in the U.S. has increased faster than population growth and inflation for 40 years, and while we rank third highest internationally in expenditures, we’ve fallen to 14th on results.
The teachers union (the Maine Education Association) perpetually lobbies for more tax money to “support education.” At the same time, it overcharges taxpayers $85 million for teacher health care costs, and imposes rules that harm quality, create teacher shortages and cause our best and brightest to avoid education as a career.
Spending increases have certainly produced additional membership and income for the union, but education results still flounder.
If the issue is quality education, then we should foster competition in education and eliminate the onerous conditions imposed by union rules. Until that happens, Question 2 should be rejected.
Dennis T. Caron
Cumberland Center
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