Governor Janet Mills on Tuesday vetoed a bill, L.D. 677, that would take power and responsibility away from local School Boards and other elected officials when it comes to negotiating salaries, pensions and insurance for public employees.
In her veto message the governor said:
“Salaries, pensions and insurance represent a significant portion of local operating budgets. Decisions regarding how to spend taxpayer dollars should remain in the hands of the citizens of Maine and their elected representative.”
The Maine School Boards Association and Maine School Superintendents Association agree with the governor and opposed the bill this year and a similar bill in the last Legislature. Our counterparts on the municipal side did the same.
Local control through locally elected School Board members is critical to protect local control of schools and the taxpayers who support them. MSBA and MSSA urge the full Legislature to sustain the governor’s veto when they return later on July 19.
Please contact your local legislators now and ask them to vote against the veto override of L.D. 677. You can find contact information on your local legislators here: