Portland taxpayers need to wake up! Almost everyone I know – particularly those of us who have already put children through the local school system or are childless – are outraged by the constant tax increases in the name of the social experiment Portland has become (see Kathleen Finn’s brilliant summary of this reckless procedure in a recent opinion piece). But every year, despite the outcry, it seems the voters rubber-stamp the tax increases.

I am writing this letter as an overburdened taxpayer and Portland native to alert the voters of Portland how, in the upcoming referendum on June 11, we have the power, as other municipalities have done recently (most particularly Lewiston), to reject the budget as it stands and force the imprudent city councilors and school officials to create a fairer tax plan.

Anyone who drives in Portland knows the roads are like those of a war-torn country, and I don’t see our taxes being utilized for similarly useful purposes like emptying city trash cans or repairing nonworking streetlights. Isn’t this the responsibility of the municipalities? Our taxes, while going up constantly, are obviously being misused.

Again, we – the voters – have a chance to decide. Please reject the budget and stop the insanity.

Joe Harrington
Portland