Standish residents can enforce their own tax cap

Editor,

In the past several weeks two communications have been received promoting the purchase of land for a Town Council-proposed Standish Community Center. The council initially was going to spend $14,000 of taxpayers’ money for five mailings, until several thinking councilors objected and two mailings were approved.

The first mailing indicates there was a referendum that the town’s residents voted to use the funds from the sale of the old Standish Town Hall be dedicated for this purpose. This is not true. There was a Special Town Meeting (June 6, 2001) that the councilors and several town employees voted (total 10 votes) to approve dedicating your tax dollars.

It goes on to point out taxes will not go up as with the building of the Standish New Town Hall. The fact is this construction used all of the accumulated overpayment taxes by the taxpayers. This also caused the tax rate to increase by $2 per thousand the following tax year and another $1.50 the next year to the highest tax rate Standish ever had.

The second mailing reconfirms, taxes will not go up from the purchase of this land as money is already available for the purchase. If this is true you have been taxed in advance for something you never had the chance to vote on by referendum; to state whether or not you want to pay extra taxes for this purpose.

Our council does not have the courage to bring these questions to you with the total cost of their dream in an inclusive referendum to be voted by taxpayers. They hire someone to spin these half truths to commit taxpayers with these mailings.

While we are committed to a majority vote system, it does not seem reasonable that a vote of 50 or so town representatives to a few taxpayers fits a majority rule. It is my understanding there are about 6,000 registered taxpayers in Standish and if the majority would vote on expenditures it certainly would make one more confident of the need. It is a shame more people do not take the small amount of time it takes to vote and attend the Town Meetings. There is no need for Tax Caps; the real need is for people to exercise their vote. This might stop deficit spending of all government that burdens the next generation long after the need for the debt.

Please come and vote on June 13th and at the Standish Town Meeting the following Saturday. It does not cost anything to vote and does give you a say in how tax money is spent and for a purpose you think worthwhile.

Sign In: