You may recall a peculiar situation in SAD 27, the school district centered on Fort Kent, in which, rather than voting on their school budget on June 8, Primary Day, the school board chose to have a separate referendum date of June 10.
The explanation for this timing was fascinating, demonstrating to this reader that our beloved mother language is rich in possibilities for slickness and obfuscation.
Listen carefully.
Here’s the June 7 BDN article, SAD 27 budget vote separated from primaries, subtitled “Board feared heavy turnout could lead to rejection”:
“Several board members were fearful holding the budget vote the same day [as the primaries] would mean the budget would get voted down,” Dr. Patrick O’Neill, district superintendent, said Monday. “I know some board members and town officials are unhappy with that.”
Among them is Louis Moreau, chair of the Fort Kent Town Council.
“The intent is obviously to cut down on the number of voters at the polls,” Moreau said. “Not only will a separate vote create an additional cost to the towns, but it would have been more beneficial to the voters if both votes were on the same day.”
…
James O’Malley, SAD 27 board of directors chairman, said it is not the intent of the board to circumvent any democratic process.
Rather, he said, members wanted to ensure that residents who care and are informed decide the budget.
“We recognize it can be an inconvenience to have two votes,” O’Malley said. “But we like the idea that if people are concerned about the school budget and interested in it they will come out and vote.”
What some board members did fear, he said, was any backlash against a proposed district budget stemming from state referendum questions.
“If people are dissatisfied with the [state] referendum questions, that momentum can be carried over to the school budget,” O’Malley said. “But if people make the effort to go out and vote on the budget, it shows they are really concerned, [and] we want to be sure it is the people most concerned with the budget who come to vote.”
Can’t you almost hear “So that the wrong sort of people don’t vote”?
A number of voters seemed to hear this message, and they were offended.
Be that as it may, in fact the school budget passed, with about 60% voting in favor.
Here’s the lead on the BDN followup, SAD 27 voters approve $11.5 million budget:
A small number of voters in SAD 27 approved the district’s $11.5 million budget during a referendum vote on Thursday.
SAD 27 serves Eagle Lake, Fort Kent, New Canada, St. Francis, St. John Plantation, Wallagrass and Winterville. There are five schools in the district.
Lucie Tabor, director of finance for the district, said Friday that only 451 voters showed up at the polls to cast ballots.
When the district towns voted in the Primary on June 8, there were 780 votes.