Will the school consolidation law go up in flames?

Maine politics is just full of surprises.

Last night, Democratic Representative Rob Eaton, of Sullivan, sponsored a repeal of the school consolidation law over 2/3rds of the Legislature approved last June when they voted for the biennial budget.  His repeal passed the House with a 73-59 vote.

As is typical of major policy changes, the repeal was retribution for Governor Baldacci’s veto of a bill to make changes to the existing school consolidation law.  Things are certainly heating up in Maine’s Democratic circles.  Bobby Reynolds, put the firemen on standby, it looks like the donkeys are about to ignite!

The repeal did pass, however, with bipartisan support, which included the Education Committee’s lead House Republican Peter Edgecomb, of Caribou.  According to Edgecomb, “If we [legislators] have another opportunity I think we can do better for the students in our state.”

Two other Democratic House members, Thom Watson, of Bath, and Wendy Pieh, of Bremen, brought up the other issues surrounding the consolidation repeal debate.

Watson tried to jog everybody’s memory by bringing up the $36 million in savings booked in the biennial budget, and just how difficult it will be to find that $36 million if the law is repealed.  He noted the bloody battles recently fought to fill the $190 million budget hole.

Pieh, on the other hand, had something to say about the lawmakers who promised other legislators they would submit bills to exempt their communities from the consolidation law in exchange for supporting the measure as it travelled through the State House last year.

“What is really bothering me right now is that there are several legislators that have been offered special and private laws to accommodate their need,” Pieh said to her entire caucus when the House Dems were discussing the repeal.  Yikes!  Hell hath no fury…

The repeal still needs Senate approval to be sent to the Governor for his likely veto.  If the repeal is vetoed, it would take a 2/3rds vote of the full Legislature to override the veto and carry out the repeal.

All this with an election just 8 months away.