Peter Gagnon: Fact and Fiction

GORHAM — There has been a lot of talk and opinions on the town budget this year and that is a good thing. The town budget today is based off 50-plus years of operations that the voters of this community consistently chose. There have always been residents who felt that taxes were too high and that services needed to be cut. We settle these differences of opinions as a democracy and vote. Ultimately the voters choose what services they want, but there is no real world where budgets are cut in Gorham and services are not. As town manager, I work with the board of selectmen and our department heads to provide the best services we can at the lowest cost to provide the best value.

It takes about $400,000 to lower the tax rate by $1. We do not have $400,000 in cuts available to our budget without dramatically changing what Gorham looks like — there would be layoffs and subsequent resignations from staff. Forget about trash pickup and Department of Public Works road crews servicing our roads; 24/7 first responders would not be available as they are now, Parks and Recreation programs mostly gone, Registry of Motor Vehicles and Tax Collector offices would be part-time — all to save $1 off the tax rate (that would be $200 a year for a $200,000 property). Some residents proposed $600,000-plus in budget cuts based off their opinions of who should have jobs and what things should cost and what Gorham residents should accept in services.