“Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.”

-Ronald Reagan

As Windham moves into budget season I think it is important to recognize the quality jobs that are done by our department heads and town employees. A study was done by Cape Elizabeth of 2006/2007 budgets intending to tout its own fiscal discipline. (It can be found on the Cape Elizabeth Web site.) This study resoundingly demonstrates that Windham, however, offers its taxpayers the greatest value.

The study was done relative to per capita spending for various departments in comparable communities in Cumberland County. Populations are estimated per 2005 census and are as follows:

South Portland/23,742; Brunswick/21,820; Scarborough/18,897; Windham/16,371; Gorham/15,300; Falmouth/10,601;Cape Elizabeth/8,922; Yarmouth/8,257; Freeport/8,066; Cumberland/7,656.

In brief, here are some of the figures that are found in the report: Windham spends $37.52 per capita on the fire department and the mean across these towns is $62.32. At $87.67 per capita our police department is the third lowest in this group.

Our public works (including solid waste) is $174.48 per capita when the mean is $199.96. Given the dispersed nature of our residential development this is a particularly good figure. Windham’s solid waste expenditures are $59.97 per capita when the mean is $77.03.

Library expenditures are $17.78 per capita when the mean is $35.96. Gorham which is the next lowest spends $27.11, which is more than $120,000 more in total expenditures.

Windham spends $13.69 per capita on parks and recreation, which is far lower than all other communities with the mean being $81.96 and the next lowest being Yarmouth at $31.46. If you combine our library and parks and recreation at $31.47, the budget is only slightly more than half of what we have spent on solid waste with bulky waste drop program. Without bulky waste there is still $350,000 more spent on solid waste.

Windham spends $19.93 per capita on communications when the average amongst these towns that has such a line is $25.72 per capita. In general government expenditures the town is $72.97 per capita when the mean amongst these towns is $123.71 per capita … second lowest!

In the one area that we are highest is in the area of health and welfare. Our social services funding is more than double the average of $7.31 and still only $15.22 per capita. This is largely due to the funding of organizations that have services here and in this year’s budget it should be noted this has been reduced.

As for service on municipal department, even with a renovated town hall, it is far below all other towns at $21.99 per capita when the average is $134.68 and the high at $233.62.

Having limited space in this column I realize that this is less than a complete picture and there is much more to be said. I have not even touched on the school budgets or revenues. Now this does not say that new ideas or efficiencies cannot be found, however, the point is we have very good people working in Windham government doing a remarkable job with our tax dollars.

We must ask, however, is this sustainable for the long run and can current services continue under our LD1 limits? Are there long-term investments that can and should be made? Is our focus on low taxes forcing reductions that undercut services while compounding the strain by increasing our residential growth? Do our citizens have the highest possible quality of life and a vibrant community infrastructure? Can our department heads and employees work easily and creatively? Does anyone know what the future energy costs will be?

Relative to other communities, our taxes are low, we are well managed and our services the bare minimum. It is my belief that a community needs to have sustainable and well-functioning services, provide quality work environments and enable its citizens to be both safe and thrive. We must recognize the quality of work that is being done and allow for the necessary investments to ensure it continues well into the future.

Michael Shaughnessy lives in Windham. Please share any thoughts, comments or ideas you may have with him at michaeljshaughnessy@verizon.net.