We can change the direction
To the editor:
Last year, before the election I wrote that Caribou was a microcosm of Washington, D.C. – i.e. the federal government. The results of the past year have further confirmed this thought. Local businesses have closed, many individuals have lost their jobs, the Charter Commission was a disappointment, our taxes went up and yet the Caribou City Council continues on as though everything is rosy. There is even talk starting to circulate that Caribou wants to build a new swimming pool.
A petition containing 650 signatures was presented to change our accounting system to zero base budgeting. It was decided that a vote was necessary in order to make this change. Again, the taxpayer spoke by winning that election.
The first three members of the commission, by law, were appointed by the council. I knew then it was a lost cause, as the administration only needed five votes on the commission. Special groups (and we know who they are) saw to it that the administration got their five votes. During the presentation at the last council meeting concerning the Charter Commission’s final report, I did not hear zero base budgeting mentioned once. True, this did not have to be in the final report but the council and/or city manager should have addressed the subject as a courtesy to the 650 citizens who signed the petition and the 700-plus who won the election to have a Charter Commission. What happened to zero base budgeting? I plan to vote, no, on the new charter on Nov. 8, as it does nothing to help the citizens of Caribou with their burdensome taxes.
Your tax bill for 2012 will be based on the appraisal being conducted currently throughout the city – there is no doubt the state of Maine will reduce its funding to the cities and towns throughout the state. Isn’t it time we cut our spending?
We have four individuals I believe that could do this and start Caribou in a new direction. Two candidates, Phil McDonough and Gary Aiken are on the ballot. I urge you to consider and vote for write-in candidates Mark Goughan and Doug Morrell. The four have a proven record of conservatism – this is greatly needed on our city council.
In conclusion, I would like to refer to my initial statement comparing Caribou to Washington. Many folks believe the United States has lost its direction. The government spends more and more money, the elected officials forget why they were elected and whom they represent. They place more and more rules on the citizenry and the governing body continues to grow with the backing of and benefits to special groups. Is Caribou any different?
I thank God regularly for my blessings, my family and my country. Let’s vote to get Caribou and the country back on track!
Donald M. Goughan
Caribou
Time for a change in Caribou
To the editor:
Last year about this time we were advised by “The Citizens for Responsible City Management” that our real estate taxes would go up. They did!
Many citizens of Caribou are concerned about the 2012 taxes. Along with the losses of several businesses in Caribou, several of them very large, we can expect the federal government to cut on funds payable to the state of Maine with the subsequent reduction to the city of Caribou. We must reduce spending as soon as possible.
Along with reduced federal and state funding, we are in the process of revaluation. Many property owners will see a sizable tax increase even if federal and state funding was not cut.
Have you ever heard of revaluation where taxes did not go up? We must reduce spending now! With a half mil increase several years ago and a two mil increase in 2011, we must stop this trend.
The current city administration does not seem to understand this simple fact — cut back, no new programs, reduce overhead, get along with less! The entire country is scaling back — shouldn’t we?
The citizens of Caribou, which includes many on fixed incomes, cannot afford higher taxes. With businesses closing, layoffs and higher living costs, the city council should do everything possible to reduce, I repeat, reduce taxes.
Please consider write-in candidates Mark Goughan and Doug Morrell — they are known to have a more conservative approach to city government. Gary Aiken has a most impressive resume as a business man. These three could certainly get Caribou turned around and started on a new path. It would not only be beneficial for the business environment but provide relief for those on fixed incomes, as well as all of the citizens of Caribou. We are the taxpayers.
Please vote for a change.
Barbara Thompson
Caribou
Caribou voters should vote their conscience
To the editor:
As we are fast coming upon Nov. 8 and election of council members, I hope that the voters vote with a sound conscience for people who are going to be working in unison for the betterment of the city of Caribou, work with the city management and not vote for either a friend, a person who has a personal agenda, or for the sympathy of a candidate.
Letters have been published recently in the Aroostook Republican by some individuals continually finding faults with the City Council and insinuating that they are not doing a good job for the betterment of the city or spending monies crazily. I found this sort of very funny in that some of these individuals were the majority of the Council when they were in office and if one remembers well, implemented many policies which are still in existence today. They also voted for budgets when they were in office but still find faults today with the current budgets being voted on.
I ask only one question — if the budget that they voted on at that time was good for them but the ones voted on today are not good, then were they either not listening to the presentations made by our city manager or were they asleep at the time? One must also remember that, as they sit on the City Council and when an agenda item comes up which affects them directly by involvement, that they cannot vote on that issue.
They have also found faults and criticized very harshly the committee who was elected to work on revamping the City Charter and I personally feel that they have done a superb job. Yet, those same people when they were in office as a majority, elected among themselves a mayor but now feel that one should be elected by the voters of Caribou. Is that not called “What is good for the gander is not good enough for the goose?” Also, I strongly believe that anyone who owes taxes to the city should not be running for office. How can they consciously vote on a budget when they owe taxes to the city?
In a recent letter in the Aroostook Republican, Mr. Martin stated that the City Council is very unfriendly toward businesses coming into the city. Then I ask one question only: why, when they were in office, did they not offer a tax incentive to attract more businesses? Also, why did the Chamber of Commerce not attract more businesses into the community rather than putting their laurels on the City Yard Sale and the Craft Fair at the Caribou High School?
They have done more damage with their letters in the Aroostook Republican by continually finding fault with the City Council rather than speaking well of the city. How can they expect a business to come into the city when they see such negative letters on a continuing basis in the paper? Mr. Martin also stated that if he didn’t have personal ties to the city that he would leave immediately, then please do so as the exit door is wide open. I have lived in this community for over 40-plus years and love this town. I do not want to move nor live in the big city where I came from.
One of the things that could happen to the city would be to set a forum of all our candidates and listen to what they have to say and what they see for the culture of this town rather than having a short article in the Republican the week before election and question them. Voters, look at your conscience very carefully and vote your conscience for the betterment of this town, not because they are your friend, you have sympathy for a person, or for their own personal agenda which on many occasions does not work.
Andre L. Dumas
Caribou
Caribou needs business world experience to weather storm
To the editor:
Voting time is just around the corner. I urge my fellow Americans, who really care, to get off the couch, get some fresh air to clear your mind and you will vote with a clear conscience and some common sense. I believe absentee voting was meant for invalids and shut-ins, not healthy all-American men and women.
Get out on voting day and meet some friends, talk things over — you might get some enlightenment on who, why and what you should or should not vote for. Let’s rejoice in the fact that this is the one day of the year when friends get together to vote for a common cause. Just remember we’re in trouble with too high a tax burden. If you read the newspapers and watch television news, you’ll know all the other towns and cities in the country are in the same boat but they’re doing something about it.
Caribou’s council needs a drastic change in composition. This dog and pony show has gone on long enough and we need some exciting things to happen to change the atmosphere in this city. The only way to do it is to elect candidates with common sense. Councilors with the know-how to move mountains and bring back some pride we once had for our community. We need to elect candidates who are problem-solvers that know how to get the wheels of fortune turning again in the right direction for the benefit of all the citizens of Caribou.
If there was ever a clear case to impose zero base budgeting this is it. Transparency, accountability, and common sense, which is lacking in our city government, can easily be achieved by implementing zero base budgeting We now have the chance to elect council members with the attributes needed to make the correction that will lead us down the straight an narrow path of accountability. There are citizens who have always worked in the private sector, managed accounts/budgets to facilitate their goals and expectations and are willing to serve.
Those of which I speak are Mark Goughan, who is running as a write-in candidate, runs a unique and successful farm operation along with his family. It is a great example of a business that caters to young and old alike and is taxed to death. Another is Doug Morrell, owner/partner of Stainless Food Services (a city of Caribou industry) who is also a write-in candidate. His company manufactures stainless steel equipment products for the retail and food proccesing industries thoughout the U.S. and was helpful to put Caribou on the map. He and his partner also run a successful retail steel and electrical supply businesses called Aroostook Steel and Broadway Electric. His management and budgetary skills to run these enterprises will go a long way toward making a more transparent and understandable city budget. His enterprises are also taxed to death.
Another on the radar screen is Gary Aiken who has worked all his life in business and industry. Gary has traveled extensively all over the world to oversee the construction of food proccessing plants and has real life experience implementing their operations and providing and overseeing budgets in excess of $300 million. His background should solidify the fact that he is well able to handle the stress and complications of a good city councilor. Again, he’s taxed to death.
Last is Phil McDonough. He’s a past city council member and also the present chairman of the zoning board. A past military man who worked for various enterprises in Caribou and just retired from DFAS on LAFB, Phil has considerable experience in city government and is definitely qualified to fill the one-year seat on the Caribou City Council.
This is not to say that there are no other good people running for council. It is only my opinion that these highlighted candidates will go a long way to solving the dilemma we’re in today. Ladies and gentleman our city is in bad need of damage control and nobody is doing anything about it. If you believe as I do the need for change of the political landscape in Caribou that would benefit all the citizens and not just the favored few, please get out and vote for these candidates.
Wilfred Martin
Caribou
