If Lewiston and other Maine cities don’t want to see this tax cap passed, they have just a few short weeks to actually stop spending and come up with a different plan.

Why is taxpayer money funding a General Assistance Office at city hall when this newspaper carries no less than 100 “Help Wanted” ads daily (even more in the Sunday paper). Last week, the Sun Journal reported that local businesses couldn’t hire because unemployment was only 3.3 percent. What does that percentage equate to in actual numbers? Why are people collecting unemployment and welfare checks when businesses can’t find people to hire?

A few weeks ago, another local paper reported that Lewiston had $500 million in non-taxable real estate. This is bizarre. At the current tax rate, that would account for $15 million being added to the city budget.

In a time of distress, it is irresponsible management to allow so much property to go untaxed. We all know who they are: CMMC and St. Mary’s hospitals, Bates College and all church property. Everyone should be treated the same. The two hospitals and Bates have been buying up residential properties for years, making those properties or land non-taxable. They can all certainly afford to pay taxes, the same as the rest of us. At least they can pass the costs onto their customers.

Where do we go when our taxes go up?

Donald Hebert, Lewiston

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