April 26, 2005 | New York Times

AUGUSTA, Maine --Saying Maine is "not going to take it any more," Gov. John Baldacci said Tuesday he's concerned about costs the state faces from the No Child Left Behind Act, President Bush's education reform centerpiece aimed at raising standards in the public schools.

The Democratic governor is also encouraging Maine Attorney General Steven Rowe to add the state as a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the federal law, Baldacci spokesman Lynn Kippax said.

The National Education Association is challenging the law in federal court in Michigan. School districts in Michigan, Vermont and Texas are also joining the lawsuit, along with teachers' union chapters in those states and more than a half dozen others, including New Hampshire.

The Baldacci administration estimates costs faced by state government as a result of the No Child law at $11.5 million over the six years from fiscal 2003 to 2008, said Kippax. Costs to local school districts are being calculated, but could run into the tens of millions of dollars.

Baldacci accused the federal government of reneging on its responsibility to pay a fair share for mandates to the states.

"We have to fight back," the governor said. "We have to tell them we're not going to take it any more."

Federal officials say schools have improved under the reform law and there have been "historic" levels of education funding under Bush, who they maintain is committed to holding schools to high standards.

Meanwhile, Maine groups that oppose Bush's plan to revamp Social Security gathered in the State House Tuesday as their allies held similar rallies in other states.

Citizen activists, organized labor and individuals took turns defending Social Security as the basic retirement program for many Americans. They say moves to privatize the system are risky and would add to the national debt.

Don Bilodeau of Leeds, a worker with Machinists' Local S6, said his mother would have not been able to afford to pay the mortgage, buy food and raise his 11-year-old sister after his father died if it had not been for the Social Security survivor benefit.

Participants also called on U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Susan Collins, both Republicans, to oppose privatization of Social Security.

Organizers of the State House rally said Maine is one of 35 states where similar rallies are taking place as Bush nears the end of a 60-day nationwide blitz aimed at building support for his proposal. In Washington, the Senate Finance Committee opened a hearing on Social Security.

A Washington Post-ABC News poll out Tuesday found 45 percent of those surveyed favored Bush's plan to divert Social Security taxes into private investments, compared with 56 percent who had supported it in a March poll.