Town Government Earns an F

To the editor,

Our elected officials, Superintendent and Town Manager have earned an F for financial responsibility to the residence of Scarborough. A harsh statement to be sure. But how else can one describe a goal of increasing spending by over $4 million when the Town and State is effectively shut down. Are you working? No. Are you sending money at local restaurants? No. Are you buying new SUVs? No. All of those activities generate state income taxes or sales taxes. That where the millions of dollars come from that fund the towns and millions to our school system. Money that will not be there for the foreseeable future.

What bold action has the collected management of our Town taken to respond to this calamity; set a goal of increasing your taxes by millions of dollars over last year!!

Now some will think I’m picking on the schools. The financial facts of life require a look where over 65 percent of our tax dollars go. And the biggest part of the school budget, over 80percent goes to salary and benefits. The teachers have worked without a contract since last year. They have before them a new contract, to be ratified, that provides for over a 15 percent increase, over three years! Conservatively, it breaks down as: 4.49 percent retroactive to 2019, 3.5 percent and 4 percent the following year! This increases the new budget by over $2 million dollars.

Why can’t the Scarborough Teachers’ Association join the citizens of Scarborough and tighten their belts; keep you June 30, 2020 salary and benefit level for the next two years? That way your newer teachers, with few years of service, will continue to teach our kids; their positions not eliminated to meet the financial realities of today.

I suggest everyone contact a teacher or a school member and ask them why these increases should be paid during these most trying times.

Larry Hartwell

Scarborough