I’ve attached the City Solicitor’s opinion concerning the make-up of the Greater Lowell Technical School Board has requested by City Councilor Kennedy. In short it states:
In our case, the current apportionment scheme of the Greater Lowell Regional Vocational School presents similar facts, and ultimately results in a violation of the one person – one vote principle.
Based on Lowell ‘s population, as well as that of the surrounding towns, the regional school board ‘s representation should be reflective of the following percentages : Lowell, 70%; Dracut 20%; Dunstable, 2%; and Tyngsboro, 8% based on a total population pool of roughly 150,447 residents. Pursuant to the current makeup of the committee based on §I of Chapter 94 of the Acts of 1967, Lowell has 4 members; Dracut has 2 members; and Dunstable and Tyngsboro, 1 member each. The result is that Lowell representation on the school board sits at 50% rather
than its full 70%.
Such a disparity is significant enough to result in a violation of the one person – one vote rule
In our case for example, while Lowell reportedly fills 74% of the total enrollment, under the state’s funding formula we pay 55% of the required funding. Regardless, however, of whatever reasons initially fueled the current board’s make up, the present composition appears to present a clear constitutional violation and as such should be addressed.
Gerry,
Why would the funding formula change if the make up of the board changed?
The board makeup was designed to keep one community from overwhelming the decision making (thus keeping the city from forcing funding projects on the towns).
The funding formula that you show.. that 74% of students come from Lowell, but it only pays 55% of the required funding, tells us that the towns are subsidizing the city at the expense of our own school districts.
That, however, has no impact on how many board members come from each town or city.