AUGUSTA -- Legislators appear to be grinding closer to a school district consolidation proposal they hope rural Maine -- and the full Legislature -- will accept.

Feeling pressure to alternately leave school districts alone while doing something to force consolidation quickly, Appropriations Committee members Wednesday considered proposals aimed at winning support from legislators representing Maine's most rural areas.

Those proposals include extending the consolidation deadlines and allowing school unions to exist within the proposed new regional districts, albeit in a different form than the state's existing school unions.

Even on the lingering, divisive issue of a deadline, at least some legislators are only six months apart.

"We're so close on the timeline it's almost like we're saying the same thing," said Senate Majority Leader Elizabeth Mitchell, D-Vassalboro. "I feel like we're finally reaching a point where we can move forward."

Wednesday, a group of legislators -- including members of the Education Committee, Appropriations Committee, rural legislators and House and Senate leadership -- drafted two plans and presented them to the Appropriations Committee.

Both plans would require a local vote before consolidation would take place. Districts where residents vote against consolidation would face penalties, though they are still undetermined.

One of the differences remains the timeline.

A plan presented by Mitchell, would require school districts to have a vote on school consolidation in January 2008 and implement consolidation by July 2008.

A plan favored by Rep. Tom Saviello, an independent from Wilton and a member of a rural caucus of legislators active in the consolidation debate, would allow districts to vote on consolidation in January 2008 and implement it in July 2008. But that plan would also allow districts needing more time to wait until June 2008 to vote and July 2009 to implement their new consolidated school district.

"This is a significant step for some communities. We need to allow time to do it right," Saviello said, noting he was not speaking on behalf of the rural caucus.

"This allows negotiations to go on. It allows people to adjust to the change that is going to take place."

In a bid to win support from Maine's many rural areas, Rep. Kevin Raye, R-Perry, presented a plan that would allow school unions to continue to exist in the proposed new regional districts.

"The biggest concern I hear about is the governance issue," Raye said. "Constituents ask, 'Is this about the quality of education and saving money for taxpayers, or is this about control?' This (proposal to allow school unions to continue) presents an opportunity for the Legislature to show this is about quality of education and saving money, not taking control."

School unions would not continue without changes, however.

Raye's plan would allow the merger of two or more school unions into "super unions." The "super unions" would be overseen by a committee of the board chairpersons from each of the existing municipal school committees.

Municipal school unions would still exist, and would work with their local school principal on most issues. The only times the "super union" superintendent would deal with the municipal school committees would be for budgeting, hiring teachers and principals, and legal matters.

But Sen. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, said he felt such a structure would create too many levels of governance.

"Long term, you're going to have a mess on your hands," he said.

Whichever version of school district consolidation emerges, it will not be a standalone bill. It is part of the overall budget proposal currently being weighed by the Appropriations Committee.

House Speaker Glenn Cummings, D-Portland, has set Friday as the deadline for the Appropriations Committee to vote out the budget for the full Legislature to consider.

"It's a critical part of the budget, for this biennium as well as long-term sustainability," Mitchell told Appropriations members.

"This solution is within our grasp. It's up to you to run it over the goal line. And we'll be supporting you all the way."

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com