In response to the recent letters published by the Lakes Region Weekly about the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, one issue has not been discussed. That is the fact that the executive director, Donnie Carroll, stated publically he and the MNGRR board would accept a loan from the town of Gray’s surplus instead of a giveaway. That is very commendable. So why has the question been put to the voters to do a giveaway when a loan would suffice?

Three-quarter million dollars surplus is a lot of money. Ideas have emerged from prior writers of other ways to spend it. I, too, have an idea of what to do (because giving the over-taxation to the taxpayers just won’t happen), and that is to establish an Economic Development Fund from which any new business or expanding business could apply to borrow from in order to create jobs and pay taxes to the town of Gray. Most of the workers of the MNGRR are volunteers and the organization is a nonprofit, so it will not pay taxes. In order to make up for the lack of taxes, the director has stated he was not looking for a free ride and would pay back to the community. This statement is from the same director who said on some occasions, he “would not bring the railroad to town on the taxpayer’s back.”

Haven’t you wondered why in the past four years or so, no lending institutions, capital investors, etc., have not jumped on board? The fundraising effort has brought in only a trickle of funding needed. They haven’t even raised enough to purchase land needed for the project. A “no” vote will not prevent the MNGRR from coming to town. If this article is defeated, then the MNGRR can apply and then proceed to obtain a loan from the town and pay it back so other businesses can also have access to the fund and be afforded the same opportunity. A “no”  vote will give the citizens of Gray a real opportunity to experience a jump-start of true economic development.

Fran Monroe

Gray