Letters to the Editor

 

To the Editor:

Last week, the Gray and New Gloucester town governments jointly held a presentation to discuss the effects of the upcoming vote on the Palesky Tax Cap question.

I thank them for bringing this information to the public and give them credit for a job well done.

An audience member, referring to the 1A school funding question passed in June, asked Representative Sue Austin and I where we believed the State can make budget cuts to comply with that directive, which compels the Legislature to fund essential services of the public schools at 55%, and otherwise meet the new deficit.

I answered by illustrating the State Budget as a circular "Pie chart" cut into three pieces. One piece represents the allocation to the Maine Department of Education, 1/3 represents the DHS and the remaining 1/3 includes everything else.

Many of the cuts were from the "everything else" portion of the budget. Logic seems to have been abandoned, since useful and legitimate programs in one department were gutted, while needless or duplicate ones elsewhere were fully funded.

Additionally, I can confidently declare that the largest and most powerful "special interest group" influencing lawmakers in Augusta is the Maine State Government.

Those in field positions, the municipalities, the school systems, small businesses and the other interests who are not as well connected, got the deepest cuts.

The Legislature slashed a Billion dollars out of the biennial budget, which amounts to about 20 percent of state spending. This resulted in cuts to health care, schools, natural resource protection and transportation projects, but when the smoke cleared, less than 50 state jobs had been lost out of 15,000.

The bureaucrats then sat back, with their feet on their desks, confident in their "job security" and the knowledge that they won and Maine Citizens lost.

Rep. Michael Vaughan, Durham

I am writing to offer my support of Geoffrey Leighton for State Representative in House District 105. The district comprises Durham, New Gloucester and Lisbon. I know Geoff and strongly believe that he will be an effective legislator. Geoff is experienced, independent and has a solid reputation for integrity and hard work.

Geoff's Maine roots and his commitment to public service run deep. As a small business owner, Geoff knows first hand the economic development challenges facing the State. Geoff doesn't need to read briefing books to understand the pressures facing working families and elderly citizens in House District 105. He is committed to seeing that everyone has access to quality health care to include affordable prescription drugs. He is also committed to work hard to provide for property tax relief and to create more economic opportunities in Maine.

Geoffrey Leighton is exactly the type of person we need in the Maine Legislature. He is smart, honest and creative. No one will work harder or smarter to find solutions to the problems facing our State. I urge the citizens of Durham, New Gloucester and Lisbon to vote for Geoff on November 2nd.

Steven Rowe, Maine Attorney General

Basically the cost of living has gone up; the cost of running our municipalities has gone up. If we go back to a tax-rate of 1997and a 1% tax-cap, we won't have the funds to pay for our current expenses. Local public servants would find themselves jobless. Our children would suffer as educators are put out of work. We would loose many of our home land defenders, our fire fighters, ambulance personal, and police, in the fight to protect our homes. It just doesn't make sense.

We can't turn back the clocks but we can learn from our past. By now we should have learned that our State is dynamic in its diversity and needs, from community to community.

Community needs must be taken into account whenever drafting laws that will affect our local taxes. To a large degree those needs have been traditionally taken care of on a local level. For we, as a people, like to have a voice concerning local issues. We decide how much money should be spent in our local schools, local town halls, for our fire and police services. We decide. If we accept the Palesky tax-cap we are taking that power away, transferring it to the State when the State is forced to increase taxes in order to make up for the short-fall. Either way we will have to pay. But with the Palesky tax-cap we will pay more with the loss of community control and community spirit.

The disharmony and heart ache the tax-cap will cause as our homeland defenders are put out of work, when our libraries shut their doors, and when needed educators become unemployed is too great a cost. Vote down the tax-cap and keep your town sound. Vote down the tax-cap and keep local control.

Ramona du Houx
Solon, Me

This past week or so a few hate signs have gone up around town and the region. There is a difference between supporting your candidate and trashing the other side. Hate is the tool of the terrorist not the activist. Fueling the hate only fuels the anti-American feeling around the world. Why not tell us why YOUR candidate is better; maybe there isn't one and that is why you feel compelled to resort to those tactics. I plan on telling a positive message about my candidate instead.

PS: GO BUSH GO, Victory 2004

Skip Crane, Gray

Maine has been in an ongoing and ever expanding financial crisis for years now. This is not due to circumstances beyond our control, however, but by a legislature that cannot control its spending and expansion of government, regardless of the consequences. We do not have a shortage of revenue as some suggest, however, but an excess of spending.

In fact, spending by our legislature has outpaced incomes, inflation, population growth, and even revenues. The result of which is a projected deficit exceeding $1 Billion. They are well on the way to spending and taxing Maine citizens and Maine's way of life as we once knew it, out of existence.
Representative Sue Austin is well aware, and deeply concerned about this situation, and was one of a small minority who opposed the current biennial budget because of its continued spending beyond our means.

Sue also supported a constitutional amendment that would control the growth of government and bring it back within our means. This proposal, put forth last spring, unfortunately was not permitted to reach the floor for discussion.

Sue has also earned the respect of many in both parties in Augusta for her honesty, common sense, and personal demeanor. As a freshman legislator, she earned the position of ranking Republican on the Business, Research, and Economic Development Committee.

Sue will continue to represent Gray as well as the residents of parts of North Yarmouth and Pownal in the new House district 109, with genuine concern for our citizens and for the economic health of our businesses and our State.

I urge you join me in voting to re-elect our representative, Sue Austin, on Tuesday, November 2.

Gary Foster, Gray

To the Editor:

Although I am not a resident of G-NG, I do spend most of my disposable income in G-NG and have never been able to understand why DOT and Gray have never installed a south bound entrance to the Maine Turnpike just north-west of the Rt. 26 overpass (front of Grover and Parker Hanfil). 30-50% of traffic south would use it and would be a great help to commuters of Rt. 26/North Raymond Rd.

It's what I think is a low cost big bang return for the buck.

Thanks,
Robert S. Maloney, Cumberland Center

To the Editor:

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for the great spread you gave to the fresh paint event in this weeks edition. Thank you for being so good at what you do!

Mary Jo Marquis
Artistic Director, Fiddlehead Center for the Arts, New Gloucester