City piece on state funding for local education in Portland. The city has bee

City piece on state funding for local education in Portland. The city has been able to go five years without a hike in the property tax because the state has nearly tripled its share of Portland\u27s school budget over the past four years. The state is facing a budget shortfall of at least $200 million, and is expected to hold school funding flat. Portland School Superintendent Mary Jane McCalmon says if there is no increase in state funding, the schools would face major cuts. City Manager Robert B. Ganley said Portland already has the highest tax rate in the state, and the schools should not depend on getting the city council to approve a tax hike. Details