The last place budget cuts should be made is in education. Education is the most important part of our society. Without it, we wouldn’t have a society altogether. Communities need to come together to stand against any more cuts to education in order to save our kids from struggling once they become adults.

Augusta has an obligation to the young people of our fair state. They are the generation that will one day be in the job market and making a difference in our communities. The education system needs an increased budget, if anything. Bringing more money into schools will ensure that teachers will have success in sowing the seeds that will lead to little Mainers entering college or learning a trade. This in turn will aid in the growth for Maine’s economy and overall well-being.

A revamping of the state budget to increase instead of decrease the money going toward education is what we need. LePage has a biannual proposal coming to the State Senate where he has a glorious idea: cut funding to school aid and shift teacher retirement into the local instead of state level. That would be great! Then parents and students will see teachers leaving schools across the state to save themselves so that one day they can retire and not have to work at Wal-Mart until they’re 80 years old. Teacher retention, especially ones who are competent, is needed for schools. An environment that is consistent and has as little change as possible is good for learning. If we want our children to be successful enough to take care of themselves, they need the best possible education.

The lack of a quality education will directly lead to increases in crime, poverty, drug use — the list goes on and on. Gov. Paul LePage cannot see beyond his term and campaign for reelection;therefore, he lacks the ability to see the consequences of his actions. Let’s tell the governor how we feel and see if we can make him understand that if we don’t see an improvement in his views of education than he can kiss any type of reelection good bye.

We need to come together as a community. Stop worrying about taxes and listening to critics saying that your money is going to waste. Would you rather your taxes go to meaningless bills that only benefit the rich Downeast? Wake up, Maine! Every administrator at the University of Maine would tell you, “You’re making the smartest investment of your life by going to college and getting an education.” That’s because you are! We need to get our priorities straight and stop thinking day-to-day. This generation is going to be the best, but only if we plan for it now.

Antonio Addessi is a third-year psychology student with a minor in Marxism and socialism.