AUGUSTA — The submission Friday of a petition for a statewide referendum to repeal school district consolidation envisions Nov. 3, 2009, as the day the law might die.

“I will vote for repeal whether it’s in the Legislature or at the ballot box. The longer the law stays on the books, the more difficult it will be to get the vote for repeal.” “This Insanity Must Stop” — State Sen. Dennis Damon

Both sides in the debate over consolidation anticipate — with the December legislative session and all the new legislators — bills aimed at changes or outright repeal of the two-year-old effort.

If at least 55,087 of the 61,142 signatures collected over the past year across Maine are valid, that legislative process will be overshadowed by an impending vote of the citizens.

The signatures, locked in a secure room where two high-level state officials are required to enter, were collected by a group called the Maine Coalition to Save Schools, which was organized by Skip Greenlaw of Stonington.

The coalition used 552 Maine residents and 57 professional circulators over the past year to best the minimum required amount by 6,055 signatures, according to a press release.

“Our effort pales in comparison to that of the members of the regional planning committees, who have spent thousands of hours trying to implement the school consolidation law,” stated the coalition in the release. “This insanity must stop. The law must be repealed.”

There are some legislators who agree with that statement and some who don’t.

Sen. Peter Bowman (D-York County), chairman of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, said the bill is “still a work in progress,” but absolutely necessary given the state’s financial woes.

Bowman said his support for the initiative has waned at times during the twists and turns it’s taken since being proposed by Governor John Baldacci in December 2006.

Through committees and subcommittees and over 65 amendments that sought to change it, he said a bill is emerging that could accomplish the goals for the budget while improving education.

“Education costs, if left unchanged, are unsustainable under Maine’s current tax burden,” he said. “Increasing Maine’s tax burden is not an option.”

But one of the core arguments by the Maine Coalition to Save Schools is that consolidation wouldn’t produce a net savings as advertised.

David Connerty-Marin, a spokesman for the Department of Education, said every plan approved by the commissioner so far except one has shown savings within the first three years.

“The savings are there,” he said. “People who go into the process convinced there are no savings don’t find them.”

Sen. Roger Sherman (R-Aroostook County), said the fact that the initiative was tied to the budget was the problem from the beginning.

“What they missed was how do we structure a school system so it benefits kids?” said Sherman, who said he supported the petition drive. “To do a rush job in one year’s time … I think we ought to put something together and do it over a five-year period. It at least calls for a slow, thoughtful airing of all the issues.”

Sen. Dennis Damon (D-Hancock County) said his opinion on school consolidation soured over time, partly because of an almost daily barrage from a group of citizens in his district and the fact that one district in Damon’s territory will see a budget increase because of the consolidation plan.

“I will vote for repeal whether it’s in the Legislature or at the ballot box,” said Damon. “The longer the law stays on the books, the more difficult it will be to get the vote for repeal.”

Sen. Peter Mills (R-Somerset County), a member of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee, doesn’t want the law repealed. He’s confident that there will be enough changes suggested in the next session to gain the support of the Legislature. He’s more concerned about what will happen across the state as voters decide on their local plans and what effect the petition submitted Friday will have. There are three plans already through the approval process and another 19 approved by Education Commissioner Susan Gendron but waiting for local voters. Many of those will be decided Nov. 4. There are also alternative plans approved by Gendron that don’t require voter approval because they don’t involve administrations merging.

“(The petition) gives people a reason to vote against whatever proposal lies before them,” he said.

That includes legislators, said Mills, especially since there are people using repeal of the law as a major campaign issue. Their first decision will be to either pass the repeal as presented by the petitioners or sent it to voters next November.

But the petition has to be validated first. Problems could range from a circulator who didn’t take a proper oath to people who signed petitions more than once.

Deputy Secretary of State Julie Flynn said her office won’t begin verifying the signatures until after the Nov. 4 election results are buttoned up, which will be in December. The deadline for the verification is Feb. 23, 2009.

“I give them better than 50/50 odds that they won’t have made it,” said Mills of the petitioners. “I’m confident this law will make it through in some form. The Governor will figure out a way. They will have my support even if I don’t like the way they’re doing it. I agree completely that it all needs to happen.”