President Mitchell to Present Legislation Encouraging Innovative School Construction

March 12, 2009

Contact: David Loughran, 287-1558

AUGUSTA-While school districts across Maine are assessing the impact of the federal stimulus money, state lawmakers are looking for ways to help maximize this one time funding to achieve the greatest amount of long term cost savings.

Today, Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell will present LD 810 “An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for School Construction and Renovation Projects That Demonstrate Cost Savings” to the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee. The bill seeks authorization of a $20,000,000 general fund bond for design, planning and construction of education facilities that will result in significant cost savings.

“The federal stimulus money will help fill immediate holes in school budgets but in many cases may not be enough to fund renovation projects that will achieve substantial long term cost savings,” said Senate President Elizabeth Mitchell. “The state must supplement stimulus efforts by ensuring that school districts that develop energy efficient, cost effective projects have adequate resources for those projects.

Examples of cost saving investments could include the installation of solar hot water heating panels, construction of windmills in conjunction with municipalities or other organizations, insulation of building, instillation of more efficient heating systems, and teleconferencing academic classes among schools.

“When we look at our bonding priorities we must look at what investments will create jobs today and continue to pay dividends down the road,” Mitchell continued. “By supplementing federal stimulus efforts we can break ground on innovative school construction projects that will create jobs industry and ensure that our students are learning in world class education facilities for decades to come.”

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