In recent events in both the newspapers and on television, I have heard a few disturbing things. First, Maine government is up in arms over what to put on our new license plates. Second, the city councils of Portland and South Portland had a number of meetings and discussions over what to name the new bridge spanning the river that connects their two communities.

The taxpayers of Portland and South Portland should ask the city councils how much it cost them to come up with an “original” name like Casco Bay Bridge. I hope the citizens of Bangor and Brewer don’t let the same happen to their tax money. If serious time is spent naming the new bridge connecting Bangor and Brewer, I hope it doesn’t get another original name like Penobscot River Bridge.

As far as license plates go, why don’t we go back to basic black and white plates and stop this foolishness of wasting time and money. If the lawmakers in Augusta and those around the state spent as much time creating incentives for businesses to relocate here as well as ways to relieve the tax burden on working families as they do to naming bridges and coming up with license plate gimmicks, the state would benefit greatly. Jim Allmon Hampden

There is quite a hullaballo over what should be on our license plate. I think it should be plain, as the main purpose of the device is to convey information. But if people insist on having an image on the plate, then it should be something that truly represents the entire state. And if there is one thing that serves this purpose it is our wonderful tax code.

Given that our tax rates are in the top 10 in the country, I think the Skoal Bandit would be a perfect imagine for Maine. Because if you’re that good at something, as we are at taxing people, then you should take pride in it. Craig D. Brann Old Town

Why do we need any picture on our plates? Just a plain two-color plate is enough and would be much cheaper to produce. Also, to save a great deal of scarce funds we should go to only one plate. Roscoe Littlefield Brownville Junction

I would suggest having a plate with the numbers that you can read and just “Maine” on it. These plates are to identify the car and driver but we have got to have them all messed up with everything else like something they call a lobster, and now perhaps a lighthouse, chickadee, pine tree, and so forth.

Why don’t they leave off the numbers and make room for a jackass and an elephant on the plate? That would take in the whole state of Maine. Elwin Pingree Dover-Foxcroft