I would like to thank the Auburn City Council for approving the 2004-05 budget with no new property taxes. The council, along with the mayor and city manager, were put into extremely difficult and unenviable positions this year.

The most contentious and emotional part of all the debate was, of course, the school budget that would have placed a significant increase on the mill rate if accepted.

Unfunded state and federal mandates and the explosive cost of health care coverage and benefits are the biggest problems facing any school or municipal budget; however, people need to realize that money for capital improvements downtown in the form of community development block grants or from bond money cannot be reallocated.

This should dispel the notion that Auburn is putting money into bricks and mortar instead of the schools. Furthermore, I believe that the school department staff cuts are too disproportionate. More administrators and administrative aides should have been on the chopping block instead of teachers.

Lastly, as an Auburn residential taxpayer with no rallying tool such as a union or a child with a picket sign, I am tired of being labeled anti-education because I question a school budget. I believe in education, but I also believe in improving our infrastructure, clean parks and open spaces, a water supply that doesn’t need a $30 million filtration plant and economic development. There are so many things to satisfy and so little money to go around.

Larry Comeau, Auburn

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