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By BETH QUIMBY
MaineToday Media, Inc. 10/23/2007

MaineToday Media, Inc.

Backers of a $43.5 million bond issue for new buildings and improvements at Maine's universities and community colleges say they expect the measure to pass Nov. 6 -- even though voters rejected a higher education package two years ago.

"People will vote for this because it is an investment in the University of Maine System and community colleges and Maine Maritime Academy," said Richard Pattenaude, chancellor of Maine's seven public universities.

Voters turned down a $9 million proposal for higher education borrowing in 2005. This bond would cost taxpayers $56.6 million over the lifetime of the loan, assuming interest is 5.5 percent over 10 years, according to the Office of the Treasurer.

It is one of five different bond issues -- representing $134 million in principal and $40.5 million in interest -- voters are being asked to approve next month.

The higher education bond would be used to pay for a variety of capital improvements, such as new space for labs and classrooms. Maine's community colleges would share $15.5 million, the universities would receive $23 million and Maine Maritime Academy would get $1.5 million.

Another $1.5 million would go to the Department of Education's School Revolving Renovation Fund, which gives grants and loans to school districts for repairs and renovations, and $2 million would go to the Maine State Cultural Affairs Council's New Century Community Program, which grants money for downtown revitalization, historic and cultural preservation and expansion of access to digital and educational resources.

The higher education bond is facing no organized opposition. It passed unanimously in the Maine Senate and was opposed by only six of the 151 House members earlier this year, including Douglas Thomas, R-Ripley.

Thomas said he is against the higher education bond and any more state borrowing because the state already owes too much, including $3 billion in unfunded pension liability, $4 billion in unfunded health insurance liability for teachers and state workers and $1 billion in school construction debt.

"We just owe so much and nobody seems to want to sit down and total it all up and let people know," he said.

Backers include the Fighting for Maine's Future Coalition, a political action committee which also is pushing for a separate $50 million bond for research and development upgrades at Maine's public colleges and universities.

Coalition spokeswoman Karen G. Mills said she hopes voters will recognize the importance of investing in Maine's future workforce and in research and development to spur economic development.

"These investments are within our fiscal capability and this is an actionable road plan," said Mills, a venture capitalist, wife of Bowdoin College president Barry Mills, and chair of the Governor's Council on Jobs, Innovation and the Economy.

Mainers also appear to favor the bond issue.

The Pan Atlantic SMS Group's Omnibus Poll of 400 adults in early September found 65 percent would vote for or are leaning toward voting yes on the higher education bond. The poll has a 4.9 percent margin of error.

Marvin Druker, a political science professor at the University of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College, said the political climate has changed from two years ago when anti-tax sentiments ran higher than today and voters rejected a higher education bond.

"The pitch in the ads (in favor of the bond) has been for economic growth and new jobs. Most people are supportive of anything like that," he said.

He said three years of deficits at the University of Southern Maine is not a big enough issue to turn off voters because they understand that the university is increasingly financed through tuition and outside sources rather than state tax dollars.

Most voters go to the polls with little knowledge about bond issues, Druker said, and because this is an off-year with no major elections to be decided, there will be a low turnout at the polls. Both factors favor a yes vote for higher education borrowing, he said.

"Because people who have an interest in having the bonds pass are more likely to vote," he said.

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