I have attended Skowhegan’s selectmen’s meetings since spring and have a few issues I would like to bring up.

In September, I asked to discuss the requirement to purchase dump stickers every two years. It has yet to be put on a meeting’s agenda. This $5 sticker is yet another tax levied on the townspeople.

While a $5 sticker every two years sounds reasonable, a quick look at the budget brings this into question. To begin, the landfill budget of $804,881 was approved at the June town meeting. In addition, more than $90,000 in revenue is received annually from recycled material.

In addition, numerous items, such as a hot water heater, incurs another fee. That hot water heater then is tossed in the revenue generating metal bin. After reviewing these numbers, the $5 sticker does seem unreasonable. To me, it’s like going to dinner and paying for our meal three times.

On another matter, in September, the town manager requested and the selectmen approved a $26,000 electronic sign for the Municipal Building. The funding for this sign is from SAPPI and the downtown TIF, which is allocated for economic development. If the town has $26,000 to spend on a sign, then it may be collecting more in taxes than what is necessary.

I urge others to learn more about where our tax dollars are going by attending the next selectmen’s meeting, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Town Office.

Caleb YorkSkowhegan