Councilors Erik Thomas, Dana Bushee and Ed Lachowicz are responsible for implementing a new tax on Waterville residents, despite claims of no tax increases, as we pay $200 for 100 trash bags. If the claim of $325,000 savings were true, why charge residents $2 per bag? And where is our property tax relief?

With 70 percent of our students on free or reduced lunch, these councilors never batted an eye while they pilfered family budgets, to say nothing about our recent 20 percent property tax increases, resulting from overspending. What do these councilors have against our poor and downtrodden? Why are they giving 18 percent of trash tax proceeds to WasteZero, a North Carolina company? Why aren’t they supporting local jobs?

If these councilors are re-elected, Waterville residents should prepare for property revaluations, along with skyrocketing property and trash taxes. Their hunger for revenue is to fund their next wasteful project — making Main Street a two-way traffic zone, which would cost millions. Many believe these councilors will implement a 5-cent tax on shopping bags, to fulfill their environmental agenda, where residents rate dead last.

Do we continue the dysfunction and dishonesty, or do we vote for change? Do we continue electing leaders who encourage the shouting and gaveling down of residents, former mayors and veterans, simply for speaking up?

It’s time to elect new leaders, who proudly recite the Pledge of Allegiance. It’s time to become a “Certified Business-Friendly Community,” and end the war on businesses, jobs, the middle class and our poor. It’s time we bury the “R” and “D” labels and vote on the local issues, along with restoring checks and balances. It’s time for change.

As President John Kennedy said: “Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.”

Gary Maheux

Waterville


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