Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

The MSAD 15 teachers have been working without a contract since September. The MSAD 15 School Board is proposing to take away guaranteed preparation time. The Board is also offering an insignificant increase to the teachers' salaries and they are using taxpayers' dollars to pay for a professional negotiator to bargain against the teachers. Why can't this money be used to settle the contract dispute and keep quality teachers from leaving MSAD 15? I am also very disappointed that the salary increase proposed by the MSAD 15 Board does not meet cost of living increases.

As a parent and a taxpayer, I am very concerned about the quality of education that my child will be receiving. A quality education starts with and depends on high quality teachers. Without guaranteed preparation time, how are teachers supposed to effectively reach their students?

At the MSAD 15 School Board Meeting on December 21, Mr. Paul Penna, principal of the High School, spoke of improving the reputation of the high school. Also, the Board reported on the approval of funding for the new building project. How can you improve a system without giving any respect to one of the most important parts of that system: the teachers? How good can the reputation of a school be if good teachers have no incentive to work there? How effective can a new building be if effective teachers have no incentive to work there?

The MSAD 15 School Board must settle this contract in the favor of the teachers.

Thank you,
Chris Driscoll, Gray

To the editor:

As you may have noticed recently in the press, DirigoChoice has come under serious fire by the otherwise impartial Chambers of Commerce, including Portland, Androscoggin County and the Maine Chamber. They are most upset by the fact that Dirigo has not accomplished its two primary objectives: Covering the 130,000 of Maine's uninsured and lowering the cost of Health Insurance.

Additionally they are complaining that the governor's pet program has actually increased the cost of Maine's already outrageous insurance premiums. Dirigo has placed a tax on claims, of course this will be passed on to the insured.

This gets quite convoluted as now we have government taxing itself. Federal, state and municipal employees are receiving coverage as a benefit; the tax will be assessed against the insurance company. Guess who pays the increased bill? That's right, the taxpayers.

When Dirigo was being forced through the legislature as a pet program, all efforts to actually lower the cost of health insurance for all Maine citizens were indiscriminately quashed. As a result, the only thing Dirigo does is subsidize the second highest insurance in the US, for about 1300 previously uninsured. Since enrolling, at least 1200 have dropped Dirigo, as it is way overpriced.

Dirigo, as a subsidized premium program, would make a whole lot of sense if all Mainers' coverage cost half as much, like New Hampshire's, and that of most other states.

If you are a business, which has had an experience with Dirigo, good or otherwise, I'd like to hear from you. Please e-mail me at repmavaughan@hotmail.com

Sincerely,
Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan is a member of the Maine House of Representatives representing New Gloucester, Durham and Lisbon Falls. He serves on the Joint Standing Committee on Insurance and Financial Services.

To the Editor:

Jennifer Reeber is Russell School's Music teacher who we recognize as one of the best in the music profession. This was the results of the Christmas Program that she presented to all the staff and parents in December.
I have worked with Ms. Reeber through many concerts and special events, and she is truly a professional teacher in SAD 15. She is the best in the business, and I and others thank you!

Frank Hallowell, Russell School Custodian