I am a resident of Auburn, but find the idea from Lewiston City Administrator Jim Bennett to form a budget panel has merit.

Would the committee have access to any and all money spent by any part of the city, including schools, highway and fire, and including grant money, booster money and donations?

Would this committee have access to all commitments for future money? Would it have access to an inventory of items on hand for supplies, items purchased and not used?

The time is running out. Why didn’t he put forth this idea months ago? If all the cities and towns are going to be in the same fix, a wider scope may be needed.

We could save money if we combined Auburn and Lewiston as one city with one city government.

We could also create one school department from Poland, Turner, Oak Hill, Litchfield and Grey, combined with the new city of Lewiston-Auburn.

What about the issue that all bond issues go to a vote of the people? What about a move to amend the state constitution to allow tax assessment as set forth in the petition? Check the papers and see real-estate selling for two or three times the tax assessment, but some people are assessed at what they can sell for. The cap is only part of the money problem. Tax assessment, waste, duplication and too much government also are part of the mix.

Charles Knauer, Auburn

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