During these most difficult times, every organization and every person is looking for ways to be more efficient and to save money. The elimination of waste is not only good practice; it is essential for all of us.

It is, therefore, amazing – and utterly dismaying – to learn the Auburn City Council is considering a resolution to dissolve the Citizens Commission on Lewiston-Auburn Cooperation.

How can we choose to ignore thoughtful efforts to improve how local governments work and to save taxpayers money? To put it another way, our not working to implement every logical recommendation is the equivalent to voting to accept higher taxes.

While Lewiston and Auburn have a history of working together, there is, clearly, more we can do and should do. It is shortsighted to end this latest effort just as two recommendations to the councils are pending. One recommendation envisions a joint assessing department. The other would move the cities to a common computing platform so they can communicate with each other. Neither of these will capture the public imagination, but they represent a good start. More importantly, they lay the foundation for future collaboration.

If the commission is dissolved, significant opportunities will be squandered. Two previous efforts at cooperation ended the same way. It would be unconscionable to allow the obstructionists to derail valuable work that promises tangible benefits for both cities – and this one community.

Gene Geiger, Lewiston

President, Geiger Bros.