Westbrook officials were mostly cautious in their response this week to a call for a southern Maine secession by South Portland Mayor Jim Soule.

Westbrook Mayor Bruce Chuluda said he read and heard about Soule’s speech, but had not been in contact with him.

“Without making any commitments on behalf of Westbrook or its people, I’m certainly willing to listen to what he has to say,” he said. “I look forward to the opportunity to hear what he has to say.”

City Council President Brendan Rielly said, “Secession really is not on our agenda.”

Soule called for the secession, if the state fails to provide the city with tax relief, Monday as a part of his inaugural address as the new mayor.

As a snowstorm howled outside, South Portland’s newly tapped mayor raised eyebrows when he described the state government as “an oppressive regime” and issued an open invitation to other southern Maine communities to consider secession as well.

“I am therefore asking us as South Portlanders, not as Democrats, Republicans, Greens or Libertarians, to speak as a united voice,” Soule said in his speech in the City Council chambers.

“There is no need for partisan politics when we unite against our common oppressive enemy – the state of Maine.”

Soule also noted South Portland’s strong economy, saying that Augusta sees South Portland as a “cash cow.” He said the city should use its financial clout to force tax reforms at the state level.

“The state of Maine needs South Portland more than South Portland needs the state of Maine,” Soule told the audience.

Soule’s speech was met with silence by a small crowd of people who gathered in the City Council chambers for his inauguration as mayor, a ceremonial post.

Soule’s six fellow councilors sat silently but did not look surprised by the speech. Councilor Linda Boudreau said later that Soule had contacted her beforehand to discuss his idea.

“I told him that it was not the place I would go to quickly,” Boudreau said. “I mean I don’t want to vote on a resolution next week. I would want lots of dialogue first.”

Soule said he tried to contact other councilors prior to the speech, and added that he also gave City Manager Jim Gailey “a heads up… I didn’t want his jaw to drop to the floor.”

After the speech, Soule said he specifically objects to inequities in the school funding formula for awarding state aid to cities and towns.

Soule said South Portland should receive more in state aid, since it provides $45 million in sales tax revenues through large retailers like the Maine Mall.

He said the city receives only $4 million from the state to help its schools, and the figure has not changed in more than a decade.

“I’m saying it is not fair or equitable,” Soule said.

During his speech, Soule stated that he is in early discussions with neighboring communities about the idea to secede. Soule told the audience he has received early positive feedback.

“Now before I’m labeled as a wacko or crazy lunatic, I have already been in contact with officials from Freeport, Portland, Westbrook, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, and no one has called 911 to have me examined… The council chair in Freeport has stated it is time for York and Cumberland counties to secede from the state.”

Soule noted after his speech that South Portland’s average median household income is lower than that of Gorham. But, he said, the town gets a higher proportion of its schools budget funded by the state.

He said the Gorham-South Portland comparison is just one example of how the state funding formula relies too heavily on property valuations.

“This is not fair to our senior citizens,” he said.

Soule’s comments immediately were posted on national and local media Web sites. They also were met with stunned surprise by most municipalities he named in his speech, except for Scarborough.

“I get a little crazy and I jump up and down sometimes, but I never advocated secession,” said Richard Degrandpre, who chairs the Freeport Town Council.

“I haven’t had any discussions with anyone about seceding from the state of Maine,” Degrandpre added. “What did you say the name of the new South Portland mayor is?”

In Westbrook, Rielly also said he has had no discussions with Soule about pressing for tax reform or secession.

Rielly said Westbrook officials have worked hard with their state delegation to get more aid from Augusta. “We’ve actually done well on that score,” he said. “We just got state aid for a new junior high we’re building.”

But, Rielly said, the process for applying and obtaining school construction aid from Augusta has taken several years.

In Gorham, Town Manger David Cole said he had not heard from Soule on the issue.

Scarborough Council Chairman Jeffrey Messer says he shares Soule’s frustration. Messer was the only municipal leader contacted by the newspaper who said he had spoken with Soule.

“He brought up his concerns and ideas with me last week,” Messer said. “I agree with him to a point, that the state funding is way out of whack, especially with the financing of schools,” Messer said. “It is nothing more than municipal welfare and the redistribution of wealth.”

Messer says he believes that every Maine municipality should get a minimum of 40 percent of its schools budget financed by the state.

“Some northern Maine districts are getting 90 percent,” he said. “It is inherently unfair. But whether I would sign on board to secede remains to be seen.”

South Portland residents just last month overwhelmingly defeated a $56 million bond proposal to rebuild the city’s high school. Local school officials did not apply for state school construction aid, arguing that the city’s robust tax base would preclude it from getting much funding or any at all.

Meanwhile, the state’s school consolidation plan is compelling all school districts to make across-the-board cuts in areas that include administration, special education and building maintenance.

State Sen. Lynn Bromley, D-South Portland, said if “Jim Soule is suggesting South Portland needs a bigger share of revenue sharing, I would agree.”

But, she added, “I would not start a conversation by talking about secession. Look at the Peaks Island dispute and how divisive that was,” she said.

“If I were mayor,” said Bromley, “one of first things I would do is get a group of mayors together from Maine’s (commerce) centers and decide how we can move this issue forward.”

David Farmer, Gov. John Baldacci’s spokesman, echoed Bromley’s comments.

“I have not talked about (Soule’s speech) with the governor. Maine has a lot of challenges, and we’re in a better position to face them together than separately,” Farmer said.

“Certainly southern Maine has a dynamic economy. But there are great things happening in Lewiston and Auburn and western Maine and Aroostook County,” Farmer said.

“To talk about something as radical as secession, I question whether he is serious or just trying to draw attention to his speech.”