This is the time when those who make a living putting words together look over their shoulders at the happenings of the previous 12 months. The more adventurous among them offer up prognostications for the future. But predicting what will happen during the months of ’07 is like traipsing through La La Land without a flashlight!

Anyway, in our diggings, we had a few things that juiced up conversation around the breakfast table. One was doomed to failure almost from the time of inception and another was capsized by the smell of money. Throw in other sundry items, plus a predictable election, and you have another year in the books.

They are still talking about TABOR’s failure at the polls, where a booming infusion of money scuttled a proposition’s early support. As written, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights had a few flaws and clumsy points seized upon by the opposition. Supposed threats to all things good within local budgets, whether true or not, swayed the voters. Supporters of TABOR had neither the muscle nor the dollars to match the opposition.

A published photo showed a gathering of citizens celebrating TABOR’s defeat at an area bar. I suppose there’s a correlation between lifting a few cold ones and results of a referendum question. Or is it an endorsement of high taxation?

One result of TABOR’s debacle is the sobering fact that the gap between the haves and have-nots gets a bit wider.

Scarborough’s newest school construction was doomed almost from the start. Too much for too much money was a turnoff and the implication for the tax bill was scary. After all the smoke of the initial Great American Neighborhood downturn, failure of the Senior Center and library rejection, it’s apparent that voter awareness is strong in the town. Not always a good thing, but an example of power of the ballot.

The Maine Legislature congratulated itself on passage of Tina’s Law, that long-awaited effort to get bad drivers off the highway, especially those driving on suspended licenses and/or with extensive records of vehicular citations. The law takes a much tougher approach to what has become a major problem on our highways. The politicians of Augusta stopped short of more stringent penalties, citing “hardships” thus invoked. It seems to me that needless accidents cause more hardships to more people.

Another wrinkle during the year past was the good citizens of Cape Elizabeth voting down the proposition of a user fee for Fort Williams Park. That pristine and historical area is a major attraction for those of us who plod around the area, as well as the swarms of people from away during the summer months. It is so well maintained that it must take more than a few bucks to remain as well dressed as it is.

The proposed assault on Scarborough’s Black Point Road and Eastern Road slid a bit more toward fruition this past year. Back on Aug. 24, Black Point Development LLC, c/o St. Germaine & Associates of Westbrook, held an informational meeting to explain a proposed 54-unit condominium off the Black Point Road, near Oak Hill. The meeting was lightly attended and drew very little interest from the media, yet construction here would have a profound impact on Black Point Road traffic, Oak Hill condominiums as well as those condos on Cammock and Stratton roads, where I live. Eastern Road, going toward Portland Farms Road, could very well bear the brunt of increased traffic flow if expected congestion on Black Point Road takes place.

Eastern Road, the pristine, straight-as-an-arrow old rail bed, hosts a bevy of dog walkers, runners and joggers, as well as very young children wobbling along on their first bikes. Even now, they face the hazards of “boomers” cruising from Black Point to Portland Farms Road during commute times. Throw in increased traffic from yet another proposed residential area and the problem magnifies itself.

Lurking in the background is that premise of Scarborough’s Comprehensive Plan, which, on an initial map, showed a road from Eastern Road to Route 1, at Hannaford Drive. That particular section of Eastern Road contains wetlands – so they say.

Regardless of future activity, you have to admit that progress is never easy.