I read Bruce Clark’s letter on property tax (Aug. 8) with a bit of chagrin. I, too, am a Maine voter, property owner and parent. In my town, a valuation of $100,000 on a home means a tax of $2,920. For that money, I bring my trash to the dump, our fire department is staffed with volunteers who get little in the way of reimbursement, and our municipal and educational staff has had to share the same increase in health care cost that the rest of the working poor do.

I don’t see many folk from out of state in my town, and I don’t think they are adding to my tax base.

Mr. Clark thinks it’s silly to lower taxes to every business, and that our government doesn’t do enough for us. I say lower taxes for everyone.

The Sun Journal recently highlighted a company that was expanding and creating more jobs because of the tax breaks it was going to be getting. Those new jobs take people off public assistance; it provides the state with taxpayers.

Perhaps businesses in Maine need to pay less taxes so they can survive and be competitive. Perhaps citizens who own property should vote to lower taxes. Perhaps we should be thinking in terms of what is being taken away. Our government doesn’t do enough for health care? So what. If you need health care, get a job. If you need a job, stop killing the companies trying to give you one.

Robert Belanger, Mechanic Falls