Millinocket tax increase

At Millinocket’s Aug. 14 council meeting, our town manager informed the council and the public that the town would probably be in need of obtaining a tax anticipation note to provide us with the operating cash we will need to get us through until the tax payments begin to be received in mid-November.

Why is the town in this situation? Having attended council meetings for quite a few years, I have heard our auditors caution the town to maintain as high an undesignated fund balance (surplus) as possible mainly because the town relies on only one large taxpaying entity. We have gone from a $3.5 million surplus to slightly over $1.5 million in a very short time.

If those attending council meetings heard that message, why then didn’t our councilors hear it? Instead a majority have continued to vote to spend money as though we had it to spend. Blame must also lie at the feet of those who chose to vote in favor of our inflated school budget despite the declining enrollment.

Because of these errors in judgment, the taxpayers now not only face a higher property tax bill in November, but they will also have to support the interest costs for this note.

Alyce Maragus

Millinocket