A Cumberland voter quoted in a recent Press Herald report on the rejection of an affordable housing proposal said: “We felt there was a lot of uncertainty with who would be living there and thought the income level was a bit low for the people we want to attract to town.”

This is an inhumane outlook. Every Mainer deserves a home to live in that doesn’t bankrupt them. And, note that the income level that this Cumberland resident wants to keep out is $49,000 to $70,980 per year, a typical salary range for many teachers, firefighters, police officers, sanitation workers and small business employees.

The message seems clear: come to our town and serve us and our children, but do not live here; your income level is “a bit low.”

Ned Melanson
Portland