To the editor:
For the past several weeks, CaribouWatch.com has had a question on its website under “opinion poll” that asked: “Caribou now has a new charter. One of the new rules states that a person cannot run for or serve on the city council if his/her property taxes are not paid to date. Do you agree with this?” The response was overwhelmingly in favor of this new charter rule.
While I see the reasoning for this; certainly city councilors should be the first to set an example to all citizens and keep their taxes paid up, I wonder if this was a little short-sighted. For instance, what about farmers? Farmers are some of the largest taxpayers in our community, yet it is not unusual for them to have a year when perhaps they cannot pay their taxes on time, only to catch up the next year when crop prices are better. What if a councilor or potential councilor or family member has a medical situation that sets them back financially for a while? It doesn’t even have to be a catastrophic situation. I know from personal experience that just co-pays alone for various temporary treatments can turn a person’s budget upside down.
These are just two examples of what can happen to put a person behind financially. If a situation comes up while a person is serving his term that prevents him from paying his property taxes on time, he can be subject to forfeiture of office. Do situations like these make a person less worthy to run for or serve on the city council? In fact, I don’t think there is a provision in the charter preventing convicted felons from running for or serving on the council. But heaven help the person who doesn’t pay his property taxes on time!
Shouldn’t the decision of who serves on the council be left up to the voters?
Joan Theriault
Caribou
Editor’s note: Citizens for Responsible City Management meets every second and fourth Tuesday in the Caribou Room at the Library from 5:30-7 p.m.
