It’s inefficient governmental projects like the Hodgkins housing project, paid for by taxpayers, that may be the reason Gov. Paul LePage fails to release bonds approved by the voters. Thirty-nine one-bedroom and eight efficiency apartments at an estimated cost of 8.7 million state and federal taxpayer dollars.

This works out to $185,000 per apartment, not considering any cost for the old inefficient building and land. The Augusta Housing Authority leased it for $1 per year for 90 years. This means the Augusta property taxpayers will have to make up for the lost property taxes that a private developer would pay were the project non-governmental. All government taxpayers are on the hook for the difference in rent and the annual operating expenses for the project’s lifetime.

It’s no wonder our national debt will soon be $21 trillion. Our elected representatives just keep spending with no concern for our debt. We, the voters, need to question our elected representatives concerning our debt problem, then take action when going to the polls in November. This is the voters’ power to change things.

Rodney N. Rolfe

Skowhegan


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