It would be refreshing if the RSU16 administration and its minions would be totally honest with the taxpayers of Minot, Mechanic Falls and Poland. The superintendent recently claimed that taxes need to be raised only $270,000 — just an itty bitty amount.

Sure, for this year, since there is an existing surplus that will pay for the bulk of the increase sought. But what about next year?

Others frequently are quoted saying, “the children can’t have a budget cut.” Who is talking about a budget cut? The fact is that the school board and the administration want an increase of $800,000 more than last year’s budget. Period.

That increase covers new hires, new programs and raises and benefit increases.

That’s the truth and they know it is unacceptable. That’s why they constantly spin their responses and their false justifications.

The taxpayers are suffering under a poor economy and it takes a lot of nerve for any entity to ask for such an aggressive budget increase and resulting multiple-year tax increases to support it.

Frederick Walther, West Poland