During the past few years, communities across Maine have been struggling to find money to fund their everyday operations. Cites and towns have been cutting and striving to keep the "broken tax" down.

The "broken tax" — what I call the property tax — can no longer sustain the communities that charge it. Officials in Augusta tell officials at the city and town level to cut their budgets; keep the property tax down or it will drive the homeowners and small businesses right out of their homes and businesses.

As every community goes into the budget season, municipal officials are once again faced with what services they have to cut. How many teachers, policemen, firemen have to be cut? What roads are not going to be maintained? Who at city hall will be let go?

It is time to face the reality that the property tax can no longer provide the services residents need. It is time to change the tax system to a broad-based sales tax that is shared with every community.

It is time to stop punishing people who work and own a home or business. It is time for state officials to stop cutting what little revenue sharing they do give and fund education at 100 percent.

It is time to stop the gutting of our cities and towns.

Jeffrey Baril, Sabattus