Letters to the Editor

 

To the Editor,

As an avowed Democrat, I hear a lot of political jokes. Most of them are quite funny regardless of which side of the aisle happens to be the punchline. One thing I hear a lot is that the Democrats are the "tax and spend party" or that "we never met a tax we didn't like". Ha ha.

Funny, how the most fiscally conservative governor we've had in ages is our very own John Baldacci (D). Funny, how the one willing to spend gazillions of dollars in Iraq, toward Mars, and just about everywhere but here at home is George W. Bush (R). Funny how George W. Bush pays for his increased spending with tax cuts from a maybe-it'll-improve-someday-down & out economy.

If you, like me, think it's time to replace the leadership of this country, I hope you'll attend the REGIONAL caucus right here in Gray, Sunday, February 8th, 3 p.m. at Stimson Hall. It will be our chance to help determine the Democratic nominee for president.

There is no primary this year -- if you want to have your say, you need to either attend your caucus, or contact the state Democratic party headquarters for an absentee ballot.

So, mark your calendars for Sunday, February 8th. Local Democrats, let's hear from you.

Sarah McCleary, Gray

To the Editor:

The New Gloucester selectmen have managed to show their lack of support towards the Fire and Rescue Department yet again! They are willing to increase the town's taxes up to 3.13% for increased police protection costing the tax payers up to $141,000 per year, but won't even set aside as little as $5000 for stipend pay for the volunteer fire and rescue members.
The Fire and Rescue Department has tried numerous times over the past three years to get the Selectmen to consider some sort of pay for the members, only to be shunned by the selectmen.

The selectmen get a stipend annually for meeting every other week, the fire and rescue members get nothing for getting up all hours of the night and for extensive training.

The selectmen have managed to cause the resignation of a fine fire chief, the town manager, other department members, lower the morale of the department and take away the record keeping so that the department members no longer know who has sent donations. This makes it impossible for the Fire and Rescue Department to send thank you's like they always have.

Since the chief's resignation, some members have graciously offered to fill in so the town has daytime fire and EMS coverage. The selectmen chose to pay them an unfair wage for professionally trained EMTs and fire fighters.

This needs to stop!

These are elected officials elected by the public to serve the public. I hope the public will look back at the behavior and lack of public service of the selectmen when the elections come up this spring.

This is my opinion, as an individual, and it is not in any way intended to reflect the opinion of the New Gloucester Fire and Rescue Department as a whole.

Brian Whitney, New Gloucester