Waiver of Minimum Local Required Share in FY 2011

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 63
POLICY CODE: DB

TO:                  Superintendents of Schools
FROM:            Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner
DATE:             January 6, 2010
RE:                  Waiver of Minimum Local Required Share in FY 2011

In an effort to give local school administrative units more flexibility in responding to the anticipated FY 2011 reduction in state funding, the Department has submitted additional language to the proposed supplemental budget that would waive the requirement that local SAUs raise their minimum local required share of EPS.

This means that the same protections for local taxpayers already in the supplemental budget for the current fiscal year (FY 2010) will now be extended to FY 2011. This gives school systems flexibility in responding to the current climate of reduced state funds by increasing revenues locally, reducing expenditures (and taxes) locally, or a combination of the two, without forcing school systems to make up the reduction with additional local taxes.

If you have additional questions, please contact: Jim Rier, 207-624-6794, or Jim.Rier@Maine.gov