Gov. Paul LePage’s recent $35.5 million curtailment order targets his two favorite areas in which to cut spending: Education and social services.

Of the $35.5 million that he says needs to be cut, his proposal would chop $13.1 million from the Department of Health and Human Services budget and $12.5 million in general purpose aid to schools.

School districts are already struggling to get their budgets passed after years of shrinking state aid and a loss of federal stimulus funds, which augmented their budgets for the last few years.

Thankfully, in York County, school district leaders have been planning ahead.

In Sanford, Superintendent David Theoharides said recently the district implemented a budget freeze in November and had actually anticipated a greater curtailment for the district.

Regional School Unit 57 Superintendent John Davis said the district also implemented a spending freeze, and in Biddeford, where it took several tries to get the current year’s school budget approved by voters, Superintendent Jeremy Ray said officials have controlled spending due to the uncertainty.

Biddeford would lose $269,000 in state aid under LePage’s proposal. Ray said this week the district will cut back on supplies, lower the heat slightly in its buildings and use other methods to avoid making personnel cuts. The district struggled to get its budget passed this school year, sending proposals to voters four times before the spending plan was eventually approved.

Ray said the school budget has already been reduced by nearly $1.2 million.

In Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach ”“ RSU 23 ”“ the budget also went to voters three times before garnering enough votes to pass. There, Superintendent Patrick Phillips said this week that he is cautiously optimistic that there will not be any staff cuts, but he needs more information before he’ll know for sure. The district stands to lose $312,000 under LePage’s curtailment plan.

According to statute, the state and each local school administrative unit are “jointly responsible for contributing to the cost of the components of essential programs and services.” The cost for essential programs and services is calculated each year by the Maine Department of Education and municipalities are required to fund their districts at that minimum level. State statute also outlines that the state is supposed to pay 55 percent of that cost ”“ starting in the 2008-09 fiscal year. The rate had been at 50 percent starting no later than 2006-07, but since the recession hit several years ago, the state has not met its obligation, while requiring taxpayers to meet theirs.

This unfunded mandate is unfair and putting a strain on municipalities and taxpayers. If the state is going to outline a minimum for contributions from cities and towns, it needs to meet its own obligations. But year after year, when a shortfall ultimately arises, education aid is one of the first budget items to be cut ”“ passing the cost onto local taxpayers. In addition to shifting costs to municipalities, school districts often are stuck with the budget that’s been approved, forcing officials to make difficult decisions mid-school year.

The state needs to make a change and make funding education a priority, not a line item to be raided in emergencies.