Letters to the editor, Week of September 29, 2016

A vote for Theriault

To the editor:

On September 8, Judd Thompson posted a letter to the editor which peaked my interest. He says he was dismayed (interesting comment) to learn that Tim Theriault had missed 18 percent of the roll call votes in the legislature. I made inquiries with friends in Augusta and they consider that a sterling record. He’s batting .820 and that is not bad in any league. Interesting as well, Mr. Thompson alludes to Roger Katz as “my senator!” Well, he is “our senator” and one of the most respected members of that body. I am also told that Tim Theriault is just as well respected in the House by members of both political persuasions. He also states that he will not vote for Mr. Theriault this time and I’ll wager that he didn’t vote for him last time. I will further wager that he didn’t vote for Roger Katz last time, and most likely will not vote for him this time. After all, they are Republicans and Mr. Thompson, like most voters, is entrenched in the nonsense of political partisanship.

I’ve known Tim Theriault for over 30 years and let’s look at his record of involvement here in the town of China. He served on the budget committee, has always been an active participant at town meetings, is a member of the Thurston Park Committee, has been involved with the China Fire Department for 28 years and is the current fire chief. Many of these missed roll calls were caused by having to respond to fire or emergency calls, and I’m sure we can all forgive him for that. He is a member of the China Four Seasons Club, coached little league, soccer, basketball, as well as involvement with the Boy Scouts. The question is, can Mr. Thompson or Mr. Glowa state the same?

Tim Theriault worked at the SAPPI mill for 31 years in maintenance. I designed many of the hydraulic systems in that plant and had years of experience knowing first hand of his value to that company. Mr. Theriault knows what it means for a company to have to make a profit in order to stay in business. Unlike the government, they can’t raise taxes or print more money to make payroll. I asked Dave Cotta what he thought of his first few months in office when he was our representative and his response was, “they think it’s their money!” So does Washington to the degree that a newborn child is burdened with a $60,000 debt before its first borning cry. Now that is really something to be “dismayed” about.

I do not mean to impugn Mr. Glowa’s beliefs in any way. I am sure he believes very strongly in his stance on certain issues and I respect him for that. It is also my privilege to take an opposite stance on some of those same issues. I spent time at the town office this week to ask about the Thompson and Glowa record of involvement in town affairs in either elective or appointive positions. None they could think of.

Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine considers him having the most adversarial position concerning sportsmen in the state of Maine. The executive director of SAM, Dave Trahan, wrote a scathing report concerning Mr. Glowa and it would be well worth your time to read that article. Mr. Trahan spent 12 years on the Fish and Wildlife Committee, and can attest to the extreme confrontational nature of Mr. Glowa. I have talked to three other members of that committee who agree with the confrontational assessment. The most damning is the statement that, (I quote), “he has made the destruction of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife a life mission. He has advocated and made it his life’s mission to restore wolves in Maine. I can think of no man in Maine potentially more destructive to wildlife management than John Glowa.”

Their words, not mine. The world is going to hell in a handbasket and we have to be concerned about wolves in Maine? I suspect that if wolves wanted to be in Maine, they would be in Maine. Does anybody remember the state attempting to introduce caribou into Maine? They put a seed herd in the Katahdin area, and those that survived the attempt were back in Canada within six months. Seems to me wildlife will be where they want to be.

Tim Theriault has served his town well in elective and service positions and deserves to be re-elected to the legislature.

Don Pauley
South China

Don’t have to live with progress

To the editor:

I am submitting this letter in response to Dale Worster’s September 22 letter to the editor in The Town Line.

Dale, having read your last two letters to the editor – Aug. 25 and Sept. 22 – I need to respond.

As a resident of China, third generation, I found some of your statements disturbing. Although your ideas for development here in China are quite noble, as described in your Sept. 22 letter, I don’t know what makes you think we actually need or want that kind of “progress” for China.

I will not speak for other residents but I am one who lives here for a quiet, low-key way of life along with the beauty of this lakeside community.

I do not need “new experiences” in the form of your visions. If I want or need new experiences I know what to do and where to go to get them.

I would much rather see: lowered taxes; improved fire department; lowered taxes; improved public safety; lowered taxes; a small health clinic. (I think of the empty old general store on Main St. [in China Village]); whatever the town’s restrictions are for the conversion of the old Grange hall on Main St. lifted (re: Susan White’s letter to the editor, dated Sept. 15); Did I say lowered taxes?

Yes, yes, I know all too well that the five million “Simoleans” and “cheddar,” that you so fondly refer to as TIF money, is marked only for business and recreational development.

By you making the comments you have such as:

“I’ve been doing my part for China when many aren’t” – my response is China has zero debt, residents pay a very high property tax to a community that offers very few services in return.  I think residents are very well doing their part.

“Some people may have to live with progress,”— my response, the last I knew there was a voting process that could very well prove you wrong on that.

Dale, it is no wonder, with comments such as these, that you “don’t always find it true when China calls itself the friendliest town in Maine, especially on the pages of The Town Line.”

Mary M. Allen
China