To the editor:
On Nov. 3rd we will embark on a new age of fiscal responsibility to preserve the integrity of the constitutional rights of the citizens of our community. I belong to a group called Citizens for Responsible City Management. Some of us are past members of the Caribou City Council and have some insight into the problems this city now has and the future implications relative to high taxes and to future generations of younger citizens. Also, most of us have business backgrounds and share a common interest on what direction this city should take to enhance its future. The point is, do we want a city government that is responsible to all citizens of Caribou or representation of those that benefit from government spending who are tied to the hip of city government.
Let’s discuss some of the changes needed to preserve the financial credibility of this city. No employees of this community should have a wage scale beyond which is paid in the private sector for similar work. Also retirement benefits paid for by the citizens of Caribou for the city employees should not be more then that offered by the Social Security system. In other words Social Security should be the retirement system for all public servants within this city, anything beyond that should be the responsibility of the employees. All early retirement plans in any department with job retention which is the norm for some departments of this city should be terminated immediately. This has become an integral part of future unfunded mandates that we in the private sector who pay all the bills cannot afford and should have never been put in place. Retirement at 62 and 65 is the norm for the private sector and surely should suffice for the public servants who derive their livelihood from the private sector. Also job security in the private sector has always been a risky situation whereas public servants have always enjoyed guaranteed job security with Cadillac benefits.
All Council members now seated may be good people but as true representatives of their constituents they stink. Their self-serving interest is overwhelming and is not representative of all citizens of Caribou. Common sense does not appear to be an attribute that they should have to provide true and fair results for the community as a whole. Therefore it’s time for a change.
We have two candidates who would represent Caribou well in a fair and balanced manner who are challenging the two incumbents for the two available Council seats at this election. One is a proven business person and industrialist (and I might add, a past Council member) who is one of the owners of the only manufacturing facilities in Caribou. Doug Morrell has experience in managing a budget and providing jobs in this city
The other is a gentleman who appreciates the fact that there is a need for common sense to be applied to city government and reigning in of past spending habits of our elected officials of this city. He has held responsible positions in other parts of this country and has a good handle on economic situations that add to his credibility that he would do a great job on the City Council. He also now sits on the city of Caribou planning board. His name is James Cerrato.
The attributes that these two candidates possess would go a long way to come to some conclusions to make the corrections needed as to what has gone wrong with the local economy and how it will affect this city in the future.
What have the two incumbent Council members who are now filling a chair on the Council actually contributed to conserving local tax dollars? Absolutely nothing. They have no original ideas how to save money and didn’t see a spending program they didn’t like. It’s time to clean out the flotsom and get this house in order. It’s also time for zero based budgeting with applied common sense and transparency in our spending programs. Rejuvinating the city charter should go a long way to correct a lot of these problems. please elect a Charter Commission that will do it right to make our charter private sector and citizen friendly.
Wilfred Martin
Caribou
