Cutting spending, cuts taxes

Although TABOR lost by a 10 percent differential, it sent a strong message to municipal county and state government officials that the people want relief from the heavy tax burden they are carrying.

We champion the concept of “local control” in the towns and cities of this state. Here is an opportunity for us to exercise local control and lower municipal spending which will result in lower property taxes. By taking an active role in overseeing the development of school and municipal budgets, and finally by attending town meetings and city council meetings when budgets are adopted we can have an impact on local spending. We can not expect the state to do the job of reducing property taxes for us; we must do it ourselves.

The state and county government officials must reduce state and county expenditures. By playing an active role in local governmental operations and insisting through our representatives in state and county government that state and county taxes be reduced is the most effective way to reduce the tax burden.

If the governor and the Legislature are serious about reducing taxes they should start by drafting or passing legislation that will reform county government. It is an archaic bureaucratic layer of government that has a big impact on local property taxes, and the people who pay the bill have little to say about it.

The three levels of government must address ways of reducing the tax burden, and we as citizens of this state must take steps to insure it is done.

Grayson A. Harltey.

Isleboro