Letters to the Editor, Sept. 23

Two at-large council seats on South Portland ballot

To the editor,

South Portland voters will vote for two of the four candidates running for City Council this fall, not just one. There is a lot of confusion in the community about this. The 2022 City Council election will fill two at-large seats. These two councilors represent the entire city. So voters, when you consider the qualifications of the four candidates running for office – Richard (“Dick”) Matthews, Steve Silver, Natalie West, and Brendan Williams – remember that you will choose two of these four to serve on the City Council.

Natalie West
South Portland

Seniors can save on property taxes

To the editor,

Seems like a common complaint I hear is, “Oh no. Taxes are going up again this year.” Well listen up. The Legislature passed a bill this year called Property Tax Stabilization for Senior Citizens program. Our local group, Age Friendly South Portland, wants to be sure you, (anyone 65 or older and owns their own home for 10 years knows to apply for this program. We seniors have until Dec. 1 to apply and participate. Beginning July 1, if you fit these two regulations and a couple of others, your restate taxes will not increase.

Applications are available in City Hall and the city assessor’s office, the brick building in city hall back parking lot.

Maxine Beecher,
Co-Chair Age Friendly South Portland\

Elect Anne Carnery

To the editor,

We’re fortunate to have Anne Carney (D) running for re-election on Nov. 8 to the Maine State Senate representing South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and part of Scarborough. Anne has been committed to expanding health care, public education, financial security and protection of the environment. She brings legal experience, thoughtfulness, compassion and dedication to the work.

I have witnessed up close her commitment to protect the health of our densely populated community where 120 huge petroleum storage tanks are extremely close to homes, schools, daycares and senior centers. There had been no requirement of actual testing or monitoring of toxic emissions from the tanks going into the air we breathe. Anne spearheaded the passage of LD163 requiring the oil companies to pay for heated emissions to be tested twice a year and for fenceline monitoring to determine how much of the emissions are passing into the surrounding community.

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