While this Nov. 6 election is focused on many issues, the most locally controversial in many communities from Durham to Arundel is on the future of public education.

Independent studies on the cost-impact of regional school unit withdrawal for both Durham and Arundel indicate that leaving their respective school systems would be more costly for all taxpayers in those communities.

On Nov. 6, voters will need to weigh the costs of withdrawal and the potential for even higher taxes, against the idea of local control.

It is ironic that taxes are also the primary reason that the Biddeford-Saco communities have repeatedly failed local school budgets over the past four months.

Saco and Dayton are part of RSU 23 which includes Old Orchard Beach.

Saco sent out its tax bills the week before the last election, which greatly contributed to the failure of the RSU’s second attempt at a budget.

Like their neighbors in Arundel, both Saco and Dayton are seeking to withdraw from RSU 23.

However, neither town met their agreement deadline, pushing a withdrawal vote to next November.

A third budget, which now totals $1.8 million in expenditure cuts — including 13 teaching positions, cuts in busing and the stripping of maintenance and administration to bare bones levels — will be voted on by Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach at the polls.

Taxes are also to blame in Biddeford, which is not part of any RSU.

Voters will decide on a fourth budget that is $1 million less than it started with.

After passing at the city level, Biddeford voters narrowly rejected the third attempted budget after they received their increased tax bills.

Yes, quality public education is expensive.

Yes, cuts in state funding and the impact of a long recession increased our taxes.

Yes, there have been mistakes made in communication to voters by both school and municipal leaders.

And, yes, receiving a tremendous spike in your property tax the week before an election is a shock that would make many people angry enough to vote against education.

The problem is, this late in the year, voters will not receive any refund on their tax bills.

That’s right, no refund.

A “no” vote at this time of the year on either budget will be devastating to classroom size.

It will also be devastating to the emotional well-being of students who, because there is no place left to cut, will see many of their younger teachers gone from their jobs midyear.

The law requires teachers be given 90 days notice.

In order to reach the equivalent of another $250,000 in budget cuts, schools would have to eliminate twice as many teachers (13 instead of 6) and these would most likely be the newest and youngest teachers.

It’s not hard to envision what even more cuts would mean.

If you’re still on the fence about supporting these school budgets, the final piece of data to consider is the efficiency rankings of RSU 23 and Biddeford school systems.

Gorham with 2,700 students has the lowest budget per pupil cost comparison in southern Maine: 12 percent above the infamous Essential Programs & Services (EPS) model.

EPS is the minimum level of educational services the state requires.

It was never meant to be a cap.

Gorham is an independent school district, and they too have received significant subsidy cuts this year.

Next is Biddeford at 13 percent with 2,600 students.

Saco, Old Orchard Beach and Dayton’s RSU 23 with 4,000 students is the third largest district in the state and comes in at 14 percent above EPS.

By comparison, Cape Elizabeth, the benchmark of educational school system in our region with just 1,600 students, is 35 percent above EPS.

As parents, grandparents, teachers and neighbors of children who are directly impacted by your decision next Tuesday, we ask you to vote yes on the school budgets.

Then we can begin the process of addressing next year’s financial and organizational challenges.

Tracey Collins of Saco, Mark Murray of Dayton, Karl Carrigan of Saco and Cynthia Nye of Old Orchard Beach are the founders of CARE 23.