This is in response to an article published July 25 concerning Mexico’s finances.

According to the article, Mexico’s town manager attributes the turnaround of Mexico’s severe financial deficit of 2003 to a variety of factors, including the willingness of the taxpayers to consistantly vote to increase LD 1, which is the state’s recommendation for the local budgets, as well as to high state revenue sharing and excise tax collection.

We believe that assessment of the financial situation is incomplete and, perhaps, misguiding for the average taxpayer.

Indeed, when John Madigan became Mexico’s town manager in 2004, a very important state law had been passed. The law, LD 1, was the result of several tax referendums that occurred during the late 1990s and early 2000s, which were trying to ease the burden of property owners.

LD 1 was very helpful to Mexico, as it equalized the burden of the amount of money towns have to pay for schools. Mexico’s share of the school budget dropped significantly.

When Madigan presented his first budget, LD 1 had just been put into effect and the town’s share was approximately $400,000 less for the school budget.

Since 2004, however, in order to maintain the same services, the budgets had to go up because of inflation.

With the tremendous increase in cost of fuel, and no more windfall on the horizon, the town manager and selectmen will have to be truly creative so that people will not lose their homes due to higher taxes.

Betty Barrett, Mexico

Byron Ouellette, Mexico

Monique Aniel, Mexico

members, Mexico Budget Committee