Letter: Don’t be proud of tax rate (Printed Dec. 31, 2009)
Posted by Leader Editor at 1/7/2010 11:26 AM 
Categories: Letters
Tags: Planning Roads Budgets and taxes Economy Letters
Categories: Letters
Tags: Planning Roads Budgets and taxes Economy Letters
To the editor:
I am writing in response to the letter “Loss of conservative voice will hurt Scarborough” (Scarborough Leader, Dec. 25, 2009, page 5) in which he contends we have had a conservative town council over the years, presumably including him. When I added up the “credit” he gave for spending on such things as the Haigis Parkway (most of which remains vacant many years after we invested in it), Memorial Park, the Rainy Day fund, $27 million for the addition to the high school, and a “183 percent increase” in the school budget, it totals about $70 million! I’m no accountant, but singling out town council members as conservative while itemizing these enormous expenditures seems a bit of a contradiction. I imagine a few of those he named bristled when they read this characterization.
Nevertheless, I’m certain if someone with real financial expertise were to accurately examine the past “12 years” they might find our tax rate has been affected by many factors such as our status as the fastest growing town in Maine and our indebtedness. Does he really want us to be proud of our tax rate and fees we pay?
Aside from fuzzy math, the political bottom line is this: the voters decided on a change last November. While Mr. Messer may not respect the will of the voters, whom he called “short-sighted,” couldn’t he give newly elected Councilor Holbrook perhaps a few weeks to perform her elected duties before making his assumptions?
Government worked last November because voters decided the question of who will be given the privilege of serving. People all over town watched the fiasco that was the Pine Point land swap and acted. Councilor Rancourt, who opposed the swap in favor of more study, got the highest number of votes (and the chairmanship this year thanks to the votes of all but Mr. Babine). The former councilor who said he opposed the plan but voted in favor of it at the same meeting, was replaced by the voters. Councilor Holbrook, who opposed the land swap, was elected by a large margin. Four councilors showed little respect for citizens all last summer, but they had no choice but to respect the voters last November. This may explain why they refused to put the Pine Point issue out to referendum.
I’d like to single out current councilors Judy Roy, Carol Rancourt and Karen D’Andrea; not because they are liberal or conservative, but because they are honest, ethical and responsive to their constituents. Their votes last summer demonstrated that. Jessica Holbrook will follow their models, I believe. That is why the land swap could have and should have been rescinded. The town manager had other plans.
Judy Shirk
Scarborough
I am writing in response to the letter “Loss of conservative voice will hurt Scarborough” (Scarborough Leader, Dec. 25, 2009, page 5) in which he contends we have had a conservative town council over the years, presumably including him. When I added up the “credit” he gave for spending on such things as the Haigis Parkway (most of which remains vacant many years after we invested in it), Memorial Park, the Rainy Day fund, $27 million for the addition to the high school, and a “183 percent increase” in the school budget, it totals about $70 million! I’m no accountant, but singling out town council members as conservative while itemizing these enormous expenditures seems a bit of a contradiction. I imagine a few of those he named bristled when they read this characterization.
Nevertheless, I’m certain if someone with real financial expertise were to accurately examine the past “12 years” they might find our tax rate has been affected by many factors such as our status as the fastest growing town in Maine and our indebtedness. Does he really want us to be proud of our tax rate and fees we pay?
Aside from fuzzy math, the political bottom line is this: the voters decided on a change last November. While Mr. Messer may not respect the will of the voters, whom he called “short-sighted,” couldn’t he give newly elected Councilor Holbrook perhaps a few weeks to perform her elected duties before making his assumptions?
Government worked last November because voters decided the question of who will be given the privilege of serving. People all over town watched the fiasco that was the Pine Point land swap and acted. Councilor Rancourt, who opposed the swap in favor of more study, got the highest number of votes (and the chairmanship this year thanks to the votes of all but Mr. Babine). The former councilor who said he opposed the plan but voted in favor of it at the same meeting, was replaced by the voters. Councilor Holbrook, who opposed the land swap, was elected by a large margin. Four councilors showed little respect for citizens all last summer, but they had no choice but to respect the voters last November. This may explain why they refused to put the Pine Point issue out to referendum.
I’d like to single out current councilors Judy Roy, Carol Rancourt and Karen D’Andrea; not because they are liberal or conservative, but because they are honest, ethical and responsive to their constituents. Their votes last summer demonstrated that. Jessica Holbrook will follow their models, I believe. That is why the land swap could have and should have been rescinded. The town manager had other plans.
Judy Shirk
Scarborough
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