For the last four years, Scarborough’s taxes have soared. A major reason has been Augusta reducing our municipal revenue sharing and school funding.

By Maine law, revenue sharing is derived from a certain percentage of the income tax and sales tax we all pay. By law it is supposed to be paid to towns so towns do not have to rely entirely upon a regressive property tax system (where taxes can go up even though a person’s income might be going down). What it is not supposed to be is some sort of rainy day fund where Augusta does not have the will to balance its own budget and takes from revenue sharing to make up the difference. Well, that’s what has been happening, and it’s wrong.

In the last five years the municipal side of our town’s budget has actually gone down 2.9 percent. Ask yourself, how can a rapidly growing town actually reduce its expenses, especially where our town services, from town hall to police, fire, and public works, are all pretty exemplary? I will tell you it only happens with great skill, and we are running out of answers at the town level.

There is a bill in the legislature, LR 2721, entitled, “An Act To Reestablish State-Municipal Revenue-sharing as a Compact between the State and Municipal Governments.” If you want to support the Town Council’s effort to control our tax burden call our legislators and ask them to support it.

Heather Sirocki 883-5609.

Amy Volk 883-1963.

Jim Boyle 839-9606.

Rebecca Millette 415-3903.

Bill Donovan,

Scarborough Town Councilor