Tragically, Route 302 bus service seems to be curtailed by some of our town’s leadership while one of the greatest concerns of the people of this region is a lack of just such transportation options.

No matter how you look at it businesses, individuals and families are being squeezed. While Windham, Bridgton, Harrison, Naples and Gray approved their share of funds for the service, other communities and primary among them, Raymond and Casco, did not. While the Lakes Region Chamber endorsed it the leaders of Raymond, Casco and a few other towns are letting their citizens and in fact all of the Lakes Region hang.

Our problem with transportation is multi-dimensional. A gallon of gas has risen as fast as the profits of big oil and has all the same likelihood of going down. Detroit lobbies and Congress caves against any raising of mileage standards. Our communities are spread and have become bedroom communities with few integrated commercial and business zones.

Finally, and at the root of everything is that our political leadership are to often shortsighted, insensitive and by most estimations, idiots. I have no doubt that public transportation will come to the Lakes Region. It is as inevitable as the rise in the price of oil. The question is, how much is it going to cost all of us until our leadership gets the message?

Michael Shaughnessy

Windham