“When George Washington threw the dollar across the Rappahannock River, he didn’t realize he was establishing a precedent for government spending.” -Harold Coffin

Lane: Tommy is taking a time-out but we talked for a long time about the subject for this column. We decided we must respond to a comment made at a recent town council workshop (where, by the way, we are not allowed to speak under our communist rules) that Tommy and I have never made suggestions on how to reduce government spending.

The problem with that remark is that neither Tommy or I were at that particular meeting so I will address issues mentioned along with ways to reduce government spending, especially for Windham’s run-away spending habits that are driving citizens not only out of our town but the state of Maine as well.

We have a serious problem in Maine because our government has become such a burden that it is stifling our economy simply by the tax burden it places on citizens and businesses alike. This is coupled with severe over-regulation of businesses that Maine has become something like the 48th worse place to do business in the United States.

As if this isn’t enough, our Democratic-controlled legislature wants to place even more business-unfriendly burden on businesses by increasing sales, meals and lodging taxes. So what can we do?

We must place local, county and state governments in Maine on a diet. The burden that they place on our bank accounts is tremendous. Guess what? It is done under the disguise of services and it’s for the children. Do you realize that the average government worker in Maine has a higher salary and benefits package than the average Maine worker by approximately $15,000?

Why do government workers in our state have contracts for automatic pay raises that the average worker does not have, especially non-union workers? Since we have asked for a reduction of government workers at all levels in this state that is countered with threats our government will collapse, let’s reduce the salaries of said workers starting at the top and working our way down the ladder.

I suggest at least a 20 percent reduction for those making over $90,000. Reduce by 10 percent those making over $70,000. Next year, do the same again but also reduce the salaries of those making over $50,000. It is absolutely ridiculous how many government workers in Maine make more money than the governor and yet have far less responsibility and fewer duties.

I also suggest that each community and county form commissions of volunteers to begin the task to reduce the amount of government workers that will be the absolute minimum to provide us with what we need for services and education. The Windham School Board recommended several new positions in its budget proposal and one was called a reintegration specialist. This position is to help students at the REAL School come back to the Windham school system. How many students do this now? Do we have dozens and dozens of students at the REAL School that do this on an annual basis? Personally, it sounds like hogwash to me.

Windham must purchase vehicles in such a manner that saves the taxpayers the most possible. We commend the Windham fire chief and his department for purchasing a new fire truck that was used as a demonstrator, which saved us more than $100,000.

On the other hand, the Public Works Department purchased two International trucks yet their last purchase of trucks was for Chevrolets because that is what the mechanics worked on and had parts in stock for. That doesn’t add up at all.

We have suggested in the past that both school busing and Public Works be privatized. It doesn’t have to happen all at once in order that workers of a certain tenure can receive their retirement. We all know that private businesses have a desire to make more profits while government does nothing but spend tax dollars. This is not the place to discuss two-hour coffee breaks but we will address it in the future.

Other suggestions include eliminating the fee that the state collects for registering your vehicle online. Doesn’t it make sense that for many citizens this is an easy way to go and yet we must pay for this service? Last but not least, why does Maine have both county and state prisons? Yeah, I know someone will say that the county prisoners are short-term and the state ones are long-term. What difference does it make as long as the taxpayer saves money by eliminating dual services? As a matter of fact, why don’t the prisoners pay for their incarceration instead us?

Lane and Tommy, of Windham, have discovered that the Maine Legislature has built a time machine that will tax Mainers back to the horse-and-buggy days. This machine will run on any combination of fuel, sales, lodging or meals taxes.