Letters to the editor, Week of September 8, 2016

Changes not wanted

To the editor:

Mr. Worster, this reply is in regards to your Letter to the Editor (Aug. 25, 2016) on your suggestions on the TIF committee reports.
I don’t know you or just where you came from, but my question to you is why, if you bought a place in our little town, are you trying to change it into a place more like what you left? I have lived in this town, in China Village, on Main St., for 85 years, all except for the last 15-16 years, only then moved about a quarter of a mile down the road. We brought up our family here, five children. They were taught to always use the pathways (yes, we had pathways) until out-of-town folks moved here, and started using the road for themselves and their children, and the pathways became part of lawns. We walked to the library, store, post office, etc., always on pathways, not the road.
My husband was road commissioner for several years, we bought the ice cream stand at the head of the lake before the road was rebuilt, built the China General Store and operated it for 13 years, and did many other varied jobs. Our children went to China schools and Erskine Academy. Our 10 grandchildren graduated from Erskine.
Please, people from away, our select board, various town committees and our esteemed town manager, stop trying to make our town into something other than small town China, which makes our taxes unaffordable for many of our citizens.
Carolyn Dow
China

A vote for Glowa

To the editor:

I checked the roll call votes that my State Representative, Tim Theriault, made in this last legislative session. I was dismayed to learn he was absent for 18.6 percent of the votes. These unexcused absences add up to 126 times Rep. Theriault removed himself from the House Chamber rather than cast his vote. My Senator [Roger] Katz, on the other hand, votes around 99 percent of the time. I know from my own experience as a state representative there are no shortages of difficult and controversial decisions to be made. But, not voting just stonewalls the legislature and makes a difficult job even more trying for those good people working to do what is right. I just don’t think Rep. Theriault’s heart is in it, and I don’t think Theriault’s voice (our voice?) is being heard in the Maine House. I will not vote for Theriault this go-around, come November, my vote goes to John Glowa. I am convinced that John will be a responsible and engaged member of the legislature.
Judd Thompson
China