It may not be much in Washington, but in Lewiston-Auburn, $2.7 million is real money.

All of us would enjoy having our share of the tax burden reduced. Lewiston-Auburn’s combined budget is about $148 million. So $2.7 million would be a shade under a 3 percent reduction.

We’d all like that.

And economic development would be a bit easier if taxes were a bit lower.

Committees have studied the cost and benefits of combining city services since 1996. This wonderful work was pursued again, in 2004, in 2005 and 2008. Responses have varied. Some good things have happened. And a great deal of lip service has been paid. But the big payoff for taxpayers has been put off by inertia, fear of change and worry about the possible implications for the many good people who work for Lewiston-Auburn.

While each of these is understandable, those of us who have done without $2.7 million in savings since 1996 are understandably getting impatient. We’re owed $27 million; consolidation could have happened 10 years ago!

And the story only gets more interesting.

If and when L-A can achieve school consolidation, savings will double, at least. Peter Garcia, the current co-chair of the citizens commission on Lewiston-Auburn cooperation, has worked on this project since its incipiency. He is a conservative sort, and I’m beginning to wonder what we could have done with the $60 million savings bonanza from full city/school consolidation. Wouldn’t we all like to have an extra thousand dollars?

That’s what the savings would have been, for every man, woman and child.

Nothing in the commission’s plan is radical. There is a good deal of carefulness and concern for everyone in the implementation, which would occur over five years. It’s geared to ensure the process doesn’t harm the hardworking people in our community that do so much. All of them should be happier working in a governmental environment that is less strapped, and living in our wonderful community that can offer them a large tax reduction.

We can all win. Or we can all dither and worry about protecting some geopolitical entity.

Clearly, each ward in Lewiston and Auburn has its personality, its distinct character. But rather than keeping them apart, these differences would enrich the perspectives that help the larger entity form decisions in a balanced manner.

This would be true of a consolidated city structure for Lewiston-Auburn.

I was born in Lewiston. I loved it as a child and love it no less now. I have now lived in Auburn for 35 years. I love Auburn – but neither more nor less than I love Lewiston. There are no significant differences between them. I have wonderful friends on each side of the Androscoggin River and we all get along wonderfully well.

We all hope for good things for our community and work for them.

For many years, I went to Lewiston every day, to the building in which my dad started our business. I now work in Auburn. Our office is now over our new Auburn store.

We have stores in Bangor, Augusta, Brunswick, Falmouth and South Portland. None of these has an office over it. If each had one, we would have been out of business years ago. Economic necessity has compelled consolidation.

It’s true in our business and its true for our community.

It’s time to implement consolidation. In fact, it’s several years past time. Those who would prevent this progress are forcing higher taxes and less economic development on our community and less revenue for our schools.

Lewiston-Auburn deserves better. This wonderful community deserves the best. Let’s cut taxes and make things better for all. To bring about great improvement, all we have to do is work together!

Jim Wellehan is owner and chief executive officer of Lamey-Wellehan shoe stores. E-mail [email protected].