Letters to the editor - Oct. 20, 2011
Separate critical issues
To the editor:
In the upcoming election, we have two separate but critical votes, one for mayor and one for or against a racino.
The racino is a stand-alone issue to be decided by the majority of voters. Your vote for mayor is separate but equally important. It is the vote for the leadership of this city and who will lead negotiations if the racino is voted favorably.
The election for mayor seems to be developing into a vote for one is a vote for the racino, a vote for the other is a vote against. Vote whether or not you feel the racino is right for our city but base your vote for mayor on who is best to lead this city in the negotiations with the big business behind the racino.
Alan Casavant is best suited to negotiate this deal. He is also the person to bring professionalism and leadership to the city. We are all in favor of job creation. Encouraging a business friendly atmosphere in Biddeford would be a start. Vote Alan Casavant and vote for an improved Biddeford. Please vote.
Christina Stone
Biddeford
‘Too’ many out of work
To the editor:
And the beat goes on. For 20 plus years, the news has featured stories of jobs leaving Maine.
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, it was announced more Mainers will be out of work: 65 in Bangor (Global Contract), 125 in Bucksport (Verso Paper), and 71 in Portland (Barber Foods).
The owners and managers of these firms say how sorry they are for these “difficult decisions” and note how great the Maine workforce is.
The bottom line – 261 great workers are out of a job. This trend will not end, no matter who the governor is or who serves in the Legislature.
It’s the Pine Tree State “toos”: Maine is too far away, taxes are too high, heat bills are excessive, the regulatory environment is difficult.
This is the true “raw deal” for the workers affected recently – and there will be more.
We need jobs in Maine now. These jobs must be generated here, by existing Maine businesses. Entrepreneurs are not moving from Carolina to here; it’s the reverse (Burt’s Bees).
Should we sit around and pray for clean, high tech “professional” jobs to come here? Don’t hold your breath. Boost the businesses already here or new ones supported by Mainers, such as the proposed Biddeford racino.
Biddeford has been crushed by globalization. The beautiful blankets made there for decades are made in China and elsewhere.
Mainers spend too much time hoping for unreal scenarios. A job at a racino ticket counter is better than no job.
Steve Anderson
Old Orchard Beach
Candidate seems loyal to developer
To the editor:
Who does Mayor Joanne Twomey serve? The residents of Biddeford or the wants and desires of an out-of-state developer?
First, some background facts:
Ocean Properties is a developer whose offices are based in New Hampshire and Florida, even though Twomey perpetually refers to them as a Maine business. It wants to develop a racino in Biddeford, or, more precisely, anywhere within 25 miles of the current Scarborough Downs.
Ocean Properties has a track record of throwing money behind elected officials who will tow their line and promote their development plans. In 2008 in Portland, for instance, Ocean Properties personnel gave generously to the campaigns of two successful City Council challengers who supported the developer’s plans to seize control of the Maine State Pier; those political contributions are public record.
Last year, Ocean Properties hired Crystal Canney (former local TV personality turned PR gun-for-hire) to shill for its proposed racino. Canney is only working in Biddeford as a subcontractor paid by Ocean Properties to further its agenda.
Finally, with all this in mind, it’s extremely disturbing to discover that, according to an employee at Canney’s own PR firm, Twomey spent the afternoon before her recent public mayoral appearance at City Theater being coached by Canney.
Why is a private PR consultant who is paid by a private developer spending their afternoon consulting an elected official on their re-election? Does such consultation from Canney to Twomey constitute a political contribution to Twomey’s re-election campaign on the part of Ocean Properties?
Is Twomey just another elected official in the line of elected officials Ocean Properties will work to elect in order to forward its own agenda?
Joshua Bodwell
Biddeford
Editor’s note: The ballot question, which includes a 25-mile radius from Scarborough Downs, was determined by the secretary of state.
Let’s regulate fireworks
To the editor:
Regarding the fire works ordinance passed by the state that will be effective in January 2012, I say Biddeford should give it a try.
Biddeford should set up the law like beer and wine where no one younger than 21 cannot buy fireworks and make it known to all fireworks companies and stores. It should be a law that people with an ID who are older than 21 years can buy fireworks. Also, all fire departments should give lessons in fireworks safety.
If fireworks stores sell to under age people, they would have to pay a $1,000 fine for each count.
Also, I don’t understand why people of Biddeford are against the racino. A racino coming to Biddeford is a big deal and we should have it here.
Walk down Main Street in Biddeford and you will see more store fronts are no longer in business and more art galleries being placed on Main Street. There are no jobs in Biddeford. If there are, it’s very few. Now that Lowe’s has closed, we have fewer jobs.
The farmers who own race horses in New England and locally will love it here. It will bring in many jobs and Biddeford will grow in about two to three years, so let’s all vote on the racino.
James Simpson
Biddeford
Don’t vote for Biddeford ‘racino’
To the editor:
Racino: the word “no” is in the word. What business organization do you know that would invest $120 million and not expect a good return on their investment? Where is this return (money) going to come from? From the Maine people who think they are going to get rich playing their games. You know that the racino is not going to lose. Some of the people who lose will look for city aid.
Jobs they say. For who and from where? Local people or out-of-state people? How many people do we have locally who know how to run slots? Will the construction jobs be local or will there be out-of-state contractors? Do the people who work at Scarborough Downs just move to Biddeford? Not new jobs but just a different place to work. Too many unanswered questions.
The racino people seem to have enough money to spend on ads to sell in racino and Biddeford Downs to the people. They are sure selling hard to get Mainers’ money. Let’s not give our money to them. Vote no.
Roland C. Ferguson
Biddeford
Let’s change future
To the editor:
Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. This certainly elicits an emotional response, but we have to ask ourselves, “What has the mayor done in all her years in office to bring jobs to Biddeford?” The record clearly shows not much.
Instead, Biddeford now has a pervasive anti-business atmosphere. If the mayor was so interested in jobs for Biddeford residents, why did she pick a non-Biddeford contractor to renovate the high school? And why, in all her years in office, did she turn so many companies away from doing business here?
Furthermore, how skilled is the mayor at negotiating with a large business organization such as racino developer Ocean Properties? She has remarked that they are “like family.” They aren’t family. Like in most business deals, they are interested in promoting their own interests, not the interest of Biddeford. It is short-sighted and clearly dangerous to view Ocean Properties as family.
We all need to think of this when we cast our vote for mayor. We all need to think about the mayor’s track record. We need to think of Biddeford’s future. Many of us care about the vibrant history of the city and realize that we are at the edge of a precipice where Biddeford could miss many future opportunities.
Biddeford is at a critical turning point. Cast your vote for someone who can really deliver jobs to Biddeford and who can negotiate for Biddeford’s future. Please vote for Alan Casavant.
Louise Merriman
Biddeford
Councilor can relate
To the editor:
My name is Christopher Foss and I am a resident of Biddeford. I am supporting Bob Mills because he is running for City Council for Biddeford again. He has been doing an awesome job in Biddeford. He helps everyone as much as he can and he would like the local people to support and vote for him.
He has supported the Biddeford High School renovation, supported Mayor Joanne Twomey and he also voted for the racino for Biddeford. I have been helping him out as much as I can for his upcoming election. He is seeking this seat to continue to represent the people of our great city. It’s important to listen and act on what our people want. He has been in the trenches and suffered the same as our people in Biddeford. It’s time for representation by a person who has walked in your shoes and struggled alongside you. He would appreciate your continued support.
Please vote Bob Mills for city councilor of Biddeford.
Christopher Foss
Biddeford
Do not vote for me if . . .
To the editor:
If you’re happy that your local politicians don’t listen to you or care for what you have to say, then do not vote for me.
If you’re happy the downtown is a ghost town, don’t vote for me. If you feel the racino and jobs are not important, then don’t vote for me. If you enjoy having a City Council that won’t work with the mayor and does not have the citizens’ best interest in hand, do not vote for me. If you want someone who is cold and heartless then don’t vote for me. If you’re happy with this special interest group using your tax dollars to benefit only a chosen portion of the community and only what they believe in, then don’t vote for me.
So if you’re happy and you think Biddeford is on the right track and you enjoy large tax increases and poor services please do not vote Karl R. Reed for City Council.
Thank you for your time and may God bless each and every one of you.
Karl R. Reed Sr.
Biddeford
Casavant will lead city
To the editor:
Biddeford is at a turning point and we have some very important decisions to make on Election Day.
A proposed racino could be a good base on which we could attract other types of economic development, especially if it includes a class-A, full-service hotel with much-needed conference and convention space.
But because this proposed facility will face increased competition from neighboring states and other facilities all over Maine, we need to make sure that Biddeford gets the best deal possible.
In short, Biddeford needs a quarterback, not a cheerleader, to negotiate the best possible deal for our city. It’s nice to see that our current mayor finally understands the importance of jobs, but it’s disturbing to note that it took her more than three years to recognize that our city’s economy was declining and jobs should be a priority.
We now have to figure out how to pay for infrastructure problems that have been ignored, and how to handle the debt of a high school renovation, which apparently required $100,000 worth of new furniture. Biddeford needs a professional leader who will rely on strategy and negotiating a deal that our city deserves. Please join me and my wife, Laura, in voting for Alan Casavant so that we can bring leadership back to Biddeford.
Randy Seaver
Biddeford
Coleman is ‘sound’
To the editor:
I write in support of Mike Coleman for Town Council in Old Orchard Beach.
If elected, Mike will not support any budget that will raise the mil rate on our property taxes. We cannot spend money that we do not have. Mike also has a great deal of concern about our senior neighbors who live on fixed incomes and not being able to afford tax increases, especially in the face of a weak economy nationally. Social Security payments have been frozen, yet Medicare payments by our retirees will probably rise. Retirees in the Maine Public Employees Retirement System are also enduring a freeze in their cost of living increases, even though we all know costs of everything in life are rising. Many of our budgets are already stressed to the breaking point. We must all live within our means.
Mike is a person who will speak his mind and advocate passionately for the positions he holds. Yet he will always respect opposing views and the people who hold those views. Mike knows that he can learn from everyone, even the people with whom he disagrees.
Please join me in casting a vote for sound and fair taxation and policy in Old Orchard Beach by voting for Mike Coleman for Town Council on Nov. 8.
James Duclos
Old Orchard Beach
Keep state’s new changes to voting
To the editor:
I write in support of voting no on Question 1 to keep new voter registration changes.
If election day is on a Tuesday, the registration deadline will be 5 p.m. on the preceding Thursday. If you are already registered to vote, the new law does not affect you. It seeks to reduce the stress on the system before it breaks down by giving clerks two more days to prepare for elections. This will help ensure sound and honest Maine elections. It will not disenfranchise anyone as opponents of the new law claim.
The right to vote carries an implicit obligation to treat that right responsibly. Asking voters to register before the last minute should not pose a problem to those who take their civic duty responsibly. It seems logical that if you will vote for the candidates and policies that will shape our future, you should be able to find time to not only register in a timely manner, but also to educate yourself on the issues and candidates.
This modest two-day change will do exactly as the new law states: “preserve the integrity of the voter process.”
Please vote to strengthen the soundness and integrity of Maine’s election system. Please vote no on Question 1 on Nov. 8.
Frederick H. Rice
Old Orchard Beach
Resident thanks mayor for courage
To the editor:
Some would criticize Mayor Joanne Twomey for being “anti-war.” As for me, I say, thank you Mayor Twomey for your courage to speak the truth. The cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to Maine residents is over $3 billion and counting (www.costofwar.org). It costs $1.2 million a year to keep one U.S. infantry soldier in Afghanistan (www.csbaonline.org). This is money that will never be recovered, never be invested in our most precious resources, our people and our communities.
For example, the Iraq/Afghanistan war dollars would have allowed every graduating high school senior in Maine since these wars were started a $25,000 educational scholarship. Think of the lives that could have been changed by all of those associate degrees, vocational training programs and four-year degrees. The unemployment rate for young people is over 20 percent. Many have been forced to drop college courses or carry heavy debt burdens. Many simply never considered higher education an option.
And every day in our communities, senior citizens choose between food and medications. Children who need a little extra support and guidance fall a little further behind in educational or behavioral development. Roads and municipal buildings that need repair go through another year of neglect. And every day, the money that should be used to prepare for a better future is spent to fund our endless wars.
Mayor Twomey is an unusual public figure, a rare politician who is unwilling to roll over and serve as a tool of any political machine. Most politicians get elected and you never hear of one single instance where they chose to stand tall and challenge the status quo. Joanne Twomey clearly has the courage of her convictions. In this case, speaking out for alternatives to war, and for re-investing our war dollars in our towns and in our people, is a refreshing voice for sanity.
Tom Kircher
Biddeford
Councilor sees progress in city
To the editor:
It’s no misconception that Biddeford is on the move as a city and dreams are reality.
The last four years the mayor and City Council have been engaged in progress in all aspects: Biddeford High School renovation project; downtown/mill master plan; Riverwalk project; Diamond Match Park is in the works; Williams Court Park completed; de-privatizing the wastewater plant; Heart of Biddeford is moving forward with cultural development downtown; Downtown Development Commission is improving our Main Street; working on parking garages to improve mill development; Biddeford Housing Authority engaged in several projects; disorderly house ordinance passed; graffiti and dangerous dog ordinances moving forward to improve our public ways; hired a new economic development director who, along with the city manager, has been actively soliciting new business migration to Biddeford with results; infrastructure improvements with the CSO projects; supporting social services; road improvements, started the new Open Space Committee which has been successful acquiring key parcels of land with little cost to the city through grants; codes office improvements are outstanding; fire and police departments have worked hard with city officials to bring the best service to our community within our budget; shore land zoning to protect our vital habitat; the racino project for “jobs, jobs, jobs”; and the list goes on.
Give credit due. We have been on target with Joanne Twomey.
This city is running on all cylinders and “this mayor and council” that I keep hearing negative about has been absolutely doing their job for the people of Biddeford. The rising excitement of the city prospects and development in this economic climate is awesome.
Elected officials have been listening and responding and the staff support we have in place is extremely competent and working hard for us.
David Bourque
Biddeford City Council, Ward 2
To the editor:
In the upcoming election, we have two separate but critical votes, one for mayor and one for or against a racino.
The racino is a stand-alone issue to be decided by the majority of voters. Your vote for mayor is separate but equally important. It is the vote for the leadership of this city and who will lead negotiations if the racino is voted favorably.
The election for mayor seems to be developing into a vote for one is a vote for the racino, a vote for the other is a vote against. Vote whether or not you feel the racino is right for our city but base your vote for mayor on who is best to lead this city in the negotiations with the big business behind the racino.
Alan Casavant is best suited to negotiate this deal. He is also the person to bring professionalism and leadership to the city. We are all in favor of job creation. Encouraging a business friendly atmosphere in Biddeford would be a start. Vote Alan Casavant and vote for an improved Biddeford. Please vote.
Christina Stone
Biddeford
‘Too’ many out of work
To the editor:
And the beat goes on. For 20 plus years, the news has featured stories of jobs leaving Maine.
On Tuesday, Oct. 11, it was announced more Mainers will be out of work: 65 in Bangor (Global Contract), 125 in Bucksport (Verso Paper), and 71 in Portland (Barber Foods).
The owners and managers of these firms say how sorry they are for these “difficult decisions” and note how great the Maine workforce is.
The bottom line – 261 great workers are out of a job. This trend will not end, no matter who the governor is or who serves in the Legislature.
It’s the Pine Tree State “toos”: Maine is too far away, taxes are too high, heat bills are excessive, the regulatory environment is difficult.
This is the true “raw deal” for the workers affected recently – and there will be more.
We need jobs in Maine now. These jobs must be generated here, by existing Maine businesses. Entrepreneurs are not moving from Carolina to here; it’s the reverse (Burt’s Bees).
Should we sit around and pray for clean, high tech “professional” jobs to come here? Don’t hold your breath. Boost the businesses already here or new ones supported by Mainers, such as the proposed Biddeford racino.
Biddeford has been crushed by globalization. The beautiful blankets made there for decades are made in China and elsewhere.
Mainers spend too much time hoping for unreal scenarios. A job at a racino ticket counter is better than no job.
Steve Anderson
Old Orchard Beach
Candidate seems loyal to developer
To the editor:
Who does Mayor Joanne Twomey serve? The residents of Biddeford or the wants and desires of an out-of-state developer?
First, some background facts:
Ocean Properties is a developer whose offices are based in New Hampshire and Florida, even though Twomey perpetually refers to them as a Maine business. It wants to develop a racino in Biddeford, or, more precisely, anywhere within 25 miles of the current Scarborough Downs.
Ocean Properties has a track record of throwing money behind elected officials who will tow their line and promote their development plans. In 2008 in Portland, for instance, Ocean Properties personnel gave generously to the campaigns of two successful City Council challengers who supported the developer’s plans to seize control of the Maine State Pier; those political contributions are public record.
Last year, Ocean Properties hired Crystal Canney (former local TV personality turned PR gun-for-hire) to shill for its proposed racino. Canney is only working in Biddeford as a subcontractor paid by Ocean Properties to further its agenda.
Finally, with all this in mind, it’s extremely disturbing to discover that, according to an employee at Canney’s own PR firm, Twomey spent the afternoon before her recent public mayoral appearance at City Theater being coached by Canney.
Why is a private PR consultant who is paid by a private developer spending their afternoon consulting an elected official on their re-election? Does such consultation from Canney to Twomey constitute a political contribution to Twomey’s re-election campaign on the part of Ocean Properties?
Is Twomey just another elected official in the line of elected officials Ocean Properties will work to elect in order to forward its own agenda?
Joshua Bodwell
Biddeford
Editor’s note: The ballot question, which includes a 25-mile radius from Scarborough Downs, was determined by the secretary of state.
Let’s regulate fireworks
To the editor:
Regarding the fire works ordinance passed by the state that will be effective in January 2012, I say Biddeford should give it a try.
Biddeford should set up the law like beer and wine where no one younger than 21 cannot buy fireworks and make it known to all fireworks companies and stores. It should be a law that people with an ID who are older than 21 years can buy fireworks. Also, all fire departments should give lessons in fireworks safety.
If fireworks stores sell to under age people, they would have to pay a $1,000 fine for each count.
Also, I don’t understand why people of Biddeford are against the racino. A racino coming to Biddeford is a big deal and we should have it here.
Walk down Main Street in Biddeford and you will see more store fronts are no longer in business and more art galleries being placed on Main Street. There are no jobs in Biddeford. If there are, it’s very few. Now that Lowe’s has closed, we have fewer jobs.
The farmers who own race horses in New England and locally will love it here. It will bring in many jobs and Biddeford will grow in about two to three years, so let’s all vote on the racino.
James Simpson
Biddeford
Don’t vote for Biddeford ‘racino’
To the editor:
Racino: the word “no” is in the word. What business organization do you know that would invest $120 million and not expect a good return on their investment? Where is this return (money) going to come from? From the Maine people who think they are going to get rich playing their games. You know that the racino is not going to lose. Some of the people who lose will look for city aid.
Jobs they say. For who and from where? Local people or out-of-state people? How many people do we have locally who know how to run slots? Will the construction jobs be local or will there be out-of-state contractors? Do the people who work at Scarborough Downs just move to Biddeford? Not new jobs but just a different place to work. Too many unanswered questions.
The racino people seem to have enough money to spend on ads to sell in racino and Biddeford Downs to the people. They are sure selling hard to get Mainers’ money. Let’s not give our money to them. Vote no.
Roland C. Ferguson
Biddeford
Let’s change future
To the editor:
Jobs. Jobs. Jobs. This certainly elicits an emotional response, but we have to ask ourselves, “What has the mayor done in all her years in office to bring jobs to Biddeford?” The record clearly shows not much.
Instead, Biddeford now has a pervasive anti-business atmosphere. If the mayor was so interested in jobs for Biddeford residents, why did she pick a non-Biddeford contractor to renovate the high school? And why, in all her years in office, did she turn so many companies away from doing business here?
Furthermore, how skilled is the mayor at negotiating with a large business organization such as racino developer Ocean Properties? She has remarked that they are “like family.” They aren’t family. Like in most business deals, they are interested in promoting their own interests, not the interest of Biddeford. It is short-sighted and clearly dangerous to view Ocean Properties as family.
We all need to think of this when we cast our vote for mayor. We all need to think about the mayor’s track record. We need to think of Biddeford’s future. Many of us care about the vibrant history of the city and realize that we are at the edge of a precipice where Biddeford could miss many future opportunities.
Biddeford is at a critical turning point. Cast your vote for someone who can really deliver jobs to Biddeford and who can negotiate for Biddeford’s future. Please vote for Alan Casavant.
Louise Merriman
Biddeford
Councilor can relate
To the editor:
My name is Christopher Foss and I am a resident of Biddeford. I am supporting Bob Mills because he is running for City Council for Biddeford again. He has been doing an awesome job in Biddeford. He helps everyone as much as he can and he would like the local people to support and vote for him.
He has supported the Biddeford High School renovation, supported Mayor Joanne Twomey and he also voted for the racino for Biddeford. I have been helping him out as much as I can for his upcoming election. He is seeking this seat to continue to represent the people of our great city. It’s important to listen and act on what our people want. He has been in the trenches and suffered the same as our people in Biddeford. It’s time for representation by a person who has walked in your shoes and struggled alongside you. He would appreciate your continued support.
Please vote Bob Mills for city councilor of Biddeford.
Christopher Foss
Biddeford
Do not vote for me if . . .
To the editor:
If you’re happy that your local politicians don’t listen to you or care for what you have to say, then do not vote for me.
If you’re happy the downtown is a ghost town, don’t vote for me. If you feel the racino and jobs are not important, then don’t vote for me. If you enjoy having a City Council that won’t work with the mayor and does not have the citizens’ best interest in hand, do not vote for me. If you want someone who is cold and heartless then don’t vote for me. If you’re happy with this special interest group using your tax dollars to benefit only a chosen portion of the community and only what they believe in, then don’t vote for me.
So if you’re happy and you think Biddeford is on the right track and you enjoy large tax increases and poor services please do not vote Karl R. Reed for City Council.
Thank you for your time and may God bless each and every one of you.
Karl R. Reed Sr.
Biddeford
Casavant will lead city
To the editor:
Biddeford is at a turning point and we have some very important decisions to make on Election Day.
A proposed racino could be a good base on which we could attract other types of economic development, especially if it includes a class-A, full-service hotel with much-needed conference and convention space.
But because this proposed facility will face increased competition from neighboring states and other facilities all over Maine, we need to make sure that Biddeford gets the best deal possible.
In short, Biddeford needs a quarterback, not a cheerleader, to negotiate the best possible deal for our city. It’s nice to see that our current mayor finally understands the importance of jobs, but it’s disturbing to note that it took her more than three years to recognize that our city’s economy was declining and jobs should be a priority.
We now have to figure out how to pay for infrastructure problems that have been ignored, and how to handle the debt of a high school renovation, which apparently required $100,000 worth of new furniture. Biddeford needs a professional leader who will rely on strategy and negotiating a deal that our city deserves. Please join me and my wife, Laura, in voting for Alan Casavant so that we can bring leadership back to Biddeford.
Randy Seaver
Biddeford
Coleman is ‘sound’
To the editor:
I write in support of Mike Coleman for Town Council in Old Orchard Beach.
If elected, Mike will not support any budget that will raise the mil rate on our property taxes. We cannot spend money that we do not have. Mike also has a great deal of concern about our senior neighbors who live on fixed incomes and not being able to afford tax increases, especially in the face of a weak economy nationally. Social Security payments have been frozen, yet Medicare payments by our retirees will probably rise. Retirees in the Maine Public Employees Retirement System are also enduring a freeze in their cost of living increases, even though we all know costs of everything in life are rising. Many of our budgets are already stressed to the breaking point. We must all live within our means.
Mike is a person who will speak his mind and advocate passionately for the positions he holds. Yet he will always respect opposing views and the people who hold those views. Mike knows that he can learn from everyone, even the people with whom he disagrees.
Please join me in casting a vote for sound and fair taxation and policy in Old Orchard Beach by voting for Mike Coleman for Town Council on Nov. 8.
James Duclos
Old Orchard Beach
Keep state’s new changes to voting
To the editor:
I write in support of voting no on Question 1 to keep new voter registration changes.
If election day is on a Tuesday, the registration deadline will be 5 p.m. on the preceding Thursday. If you are already registered to vote, the new law does not affect you. It seeks to reduce the stress on the system before it breaks down by giving clerks two more days to prepare for elections. This will help ensure sound and honest Maine elections. It will not disenfranchise anyone as opponents of the new law claim.
The right to vote carries an implicit obligation to treat that right responsibly. Asking voters to register before the last minute should not pose a problem to those who take their civic duty responsibly. It seems logical that if you will vote for the candidates and policies that will shape our future, you should be able to find time to not only register in a timely manner, but also to educate yourself on the issues and candidates.
This modest two-day change will do exactly as the new law states: “preserve the integrity of the voter process.”
Please vote to strengthen the soundness and integrity of Maine’s election system. Please vote no on Question 1 on Nov. 8.
Frederick H. Rice
Old Orchard Beach
Resident thanks mayor for courage
To the editor:
Some would criticize Mayor Joanne Twomey for being “anti-war.” As for me, I say, thank you Mayor Twomey for your courage to speak the truth. The cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to Maine residents is over $3 billion and counting (www.costofwar.org). It costs $1.2 million a year to keep one U.S. infantry soldier in Afghanistan (www.csbaonline.org). This is money that will never be recovered, never be invested in our most precious resources, our people and our communities.
For example, the Iraq/Afghanistan war dollars would have allowed every graduating high school senior in Maine since these wars were started a $25,000 educational scholarship. Think of the lives that could have been changed by all of those associate degrees, vocational training programs and four-year degrees. The unemployment rate for young people is over 20 percent. Many have been forced to drop college courses or carry heavy debt burdens. Many simply never considered higher education an option.
And every day in our communities, senior citizens choose between food and medications. Children who need a little extra support and guidance fall a little further behind in educational or behavioral development. Roads and municipal buildings that need repair go through another year of neglect. And every day, the money that should be used to prepare for a better future is spent to fund our endless wars.
Mayor Twomey is an unusual public figure, a rare politician who is unwilling to roll over and serve as a tool of any political machine. Most politicians get elected and you never hear of one single instance where they chose to stand tall and challenge the status quo. Joanne Twomey clearly has the courage of her convictions. In this case, speaking out for alternatives to war, and for re-investing our war dollars in our towns and in our people, is a refreshing voice for sanity.
Tom Kircher
Biddeford
Councilor sees progress in city
To the editor:
It’s no misconception that Biddeford is on the move as a city and dreams are reality.
The last four years the mayor and City Council have been engaged in progress in all aspects: Biddeford High School renovation project; downtown/mill master plan; Riverwalk project; Diamond Match Park is in the works; Williams Court Park completed; de-privatizing the wastewater plant; Heart of Biddeford is moving forward with cultural development downtown; Downtown Development Commission is improving our Main Street; working on parking garages to improve mill development; Biddeford Housing Authority engaged in several projects; disorderly house ordinance passed; graffiti and dangerous dog ordinances moving forward to improve our public ways; hired a new economic development director who, along with the city manager, has been actively soliciting new business migration to Biddeford with results; infrastructure improvements with the CSO projects; supporting social services; road improvements, started the new Open Space Committee which has been successful acquiring key parcels of land with little cost to the city through grants; codes office improvements are outstanding; fire and police departments have worked hard with city officials to bring the best service to our community within our budget; shore land zoning to protect our vital habitat; the racino project for “jobs, jobs, jobs”; and the list goes on.
Give credit due. We have been on target with Joanne Twomey.
This city is running on all cylinders and “this mayor and council” that I keep hearing negative about has been absolutely doing their job for the people of Biddeford. The rising excitement of the city prospects and development in this economic climate is awesome.
Elected officials have been listening and responding and the staff support we have in place is extremely competent and working hard for us.
David Bourque
Biddeford City Council, Ward 2
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