I write to you as a concerned taxpayer regarding the Festival de Joie’s request for continued city-sponsored funding and use of city services.

School infrastructures are crumbling from years of budget-cutting measures and neglect. Facilities, such as Farwell (No. 10), Pettingill (No. 25), and L.M.S. (No. 45), and McMahon (No. 77) are deficient enough to have achieved priority with the Department of Education’s Capital Improvement listing. Students must pay fees to participate in extra-curricular activities. Would not the money and cost of city services being requested be better spent here?

Streets and sidewalks continue to crumble due to years of budget-cutting measures. I fear cost of labor, materials and time needed to adequately repair this neglect would leave most people speechless. Would not the money and cost of city services being requested be better spent here?

Management continues to negotiate with labor unions representing city employees. Certainly the hard work of our dedicated city employees, such as firefighters, educators and police officers, should constitute a fair raise. Would not the money and cost of city services being requested be better spent here?

Our city council has reduced assistance to a number of worthy social organizations and programs. These include youth athletics, social services and housing assistance. These organizations have made do, found sources of funding and continue being valuable assets to our city.

I ask our mayor and city council to reject this request. Tax money can be better spent elsewhere.

Nathan McCarron, Lewiston

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