Towns use tax money wisely, unlike state

Regarding the May 7 column on municipal revenue sharing, “Reform taxes by cutting spending,” I don’t know why Jim Fossel is so skeptical about the ability of Maine’s municipal governments to “use that money wisely.” Does he know of any mayors or town councils that are installing hot tubs in their city hall chambers? Or blowing their municipal budgets on trips to the Bahamas?

Somehow, I don’t think the local citizens who elected them would put up with that. Not when our schools have to cut teachers and programs yet again, our roads need repairs, and the only way out is to raise property taxes.

On the other hand, look how “wisely” Gov. Paul LePage has been using our tax money: he’s been sitting on it, and refusing to release funding for bond issues that were approved by the citizens of Maine months ago (or in some cases, years ago) — bonds that would bring in matching federal funds and create jobs. State government has a surplus, and will soon have even more as online businesses like Amazon start collecting Maine sales tax on online purchases and paying that to the state.

It’s high time for the governor and his supporters in state government to stop ignoring the law that requires the state to share 5 percent of revenues with the state’s municipalities. Call or write to your state senator or representative, and tell them to support L.D. 133, An Act to Support Lower Property Taxes by Restoring State-Municipal Revenue Sharing, sponsored by Sen. Shenna Bellows, D-Manchester. I think we have lots of ways to use that money wisely.

Claire Prontnicki

Waterville