I attended the tax meeting in Auburn on Nov. 14. What startled me was the lack of real information that was passed along as gospel by the leaders of the group and to which people were reacting.

First, there has not been a raise in taxes in Auburn, the budget is only now being considered. Second was a monumental lack of respect and suspicion of city government. I know all the city councilors personally and have worked with them. No one is trying to force people out of their homes. Third, action based on innuendo and untruth leads to very bad policymaking, so city leaders operate on the basis of law and fact.

Auburn taxpayers need to make their wishes known to the people that they elect. They are your neighbors. When I served on the council, the complaint that I heard most forcefully was that the school department was overstaffed with administrators, yet when the budget public hearing came, almost nobody who complained showed up to voice a position. The school department had its supporters there by the busload.

People need to get the facts and then make their feelings known. Festival Plaza was built with federal funds, not city taxes, done deal. There are no mahogany desks at City Hall, go take a look around. The money is 87 percent in personnel, not buildings.

My evaluation went up by $35,000.

Joseph DeFilipp, Auburn