WEBVTT THE CAUSE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. STEVE: YOU’VE PROBABLY SEEN THE AD SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY. SHAWN MOODY SAYING MAINE SCHOOLS ARE OVERFUNDED. BUT THERE’S MORE TO THE STORY. WMTW NEWS 8 POLITICAL REPORTER PAUL MERRILL IS HERE WITH A FACT-CHECK OF THE ATTACK A PAUL: MOODY DID SAY MAINE SCHOOLS ARE OVERFUNDED DURING A CANDIDATE FORUM THAT WAS HELD BACK IN JANUARY. BUT HIS ANSWER TO THE QUESTION DIDN’T END THERE. >> DO YOU FEEL MAINE’S SCHOOLS ARE ADEQUATELY FUNDED? >> THEY’RE OVERFUNDED. PAUL: TWO ADS FEATURE THIS CLIP. THE SPOTS COME FROM A POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE CALLED A BETTER MAINE. THE PAC’S MAIN FUNDER IS THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION. >> SHAWN MOODY WOULD BE A DISASTER FOR MAINE SCHOOLS. >> IT’S CLEVER, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY CHOPPED IT RIGHT THER IT SAID OVERFUNDED, THEY DIDN’T LISTEN TO THE REST OF MY SENTENCE. PAUL: HERE’S THE FULL CLIP. MOODY WAS ANSWERING A LIGHTNING ROUND QUESTION AT THE END OF A CANDIDATE FORUM ORGANIZED BY THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF MAINE. >> DO YOU FEEL MAINE’S SCHOOLS ARE ADEQUATELY FUNDED? >> NO. >> MARK. >> NO. >> SHAWN. THEY’RE OVER-FUNDED. WE NEED TO GET THE WE NEED TO GET THEM TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE EFFECTIVE. THERE’S A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE DUPLICATION AND OVERHEAD THAT’S NOT BENEFITING TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM. PAUL: THE REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEE IS ALSO CRITICAL OF WHAT HE SAYS WAS LITTLE ACCOUNTABILITY CONCERNING THE $162 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL EDUCATION FUNDING THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED LAST YEAR. >> WHERE’S THAT MONEY GOING TO GO? ARE THE TEACHERS GOING TO STARTING YEAR TEACHER’S PAY GOING TO BE LIFTED? ARE THESE GOOD TEACHERS GOING TO BE REWARDED FOR THEIR WORK? PAUL: WE HAVE DONE HOMEWORK, SOME OF IT DID GOING TO MAINE CLASSROOMS. MUCH OF THE MONEY WAS USED FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION TOLD US THIS TODAY. SHAWN MOODY CANNOT RUN FROM HIS OWN WORDS. HE STOOD UP ON THE DEBATES STAGE AND SAID THEY WERE OVERFUNDED. OUT OF 10 CANDIDATES HE WAS THE ONLY WANT TO SAY SCHOOLS WERE OVERFUNDED. THAT FORUM HAPPEN IN JANUARY. IT WAS THE FIRST ONE OF THE ENTIRE ELECTION CYCLE THE FOUR GENERAL ELECTION GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES WILL HOLD SEVERAL DEBATES IN THE COMING WEEKS.