School budget rejection
Last month, I read an article in the BDN that communicated SAD 27’s most recent negative vote on the school budget. A school board member was quoted as saying that low voter turnout accounted for the “no” vote. In my opinion, the vote reflected the sentiment of the community.
Another school board member called those who voted “no” micromanagers who “don’t care.” Nothing can be further from the truth.
With dwindling enrollment, the voters want more efficiency and greater consolidation of schools. The school board rescinded its vote to bring all middle school students to be educated at a Fort Kent school. Why is this being delayed for a year? The voters are asking their school board to be independent thinkers. They should not be easily swayed by a few who try to dominate the conversation.
If all of this means that some towns will want to withdraw from SAD 27, that is their right and we can and will deal with that.
Laurel J. Daigle
Fort Kent
Why no park support?
What does it take to get the attention of U.S. Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins? Right now, a major landowner in the Katahdin region has proposed an investment that would create as many as 1,000 jobs. It’s a plan that has worked successfully around the country. In fact, there’s not a single example of this model failing — ever.
It sounds too good to be true, but it isn’t.
A large landowner in the Katahdin region would like to donate the land to create a new national park and national recreation area in Northern Maine. In addition to the value of the land, the donation would include a $40 million endowment to offset maintenance and operations costs.
Economic data, reviewed by well-respected Maine economists, shows that between 450 and 1,000 jobs could be created. National parks are overwhelmingly popular and have huge, positive economic impacts on their host communities and host states. They bring in tourists, for sure, but they also bring in other types of investments and create jobs in a lot of fields.
This proposal also includes a national recreation area that would permanently protect activities, such as snowmobiling and hunting, making sure future generations can enjoy those activities.
To create a national park and national recreation area takes an act of Congress, and it’s time for Maine’s congressional delegation to get that ball rolling.
R. Wayne Curlew
Millinocket
Resignation requests
We read with interest Paul Schlein’s Aug. 12 letter to the editor about his letter to the governor requesting his resignation. In response to his letter, we have sent the following message to Gov. Paul LePage: “Gov. LePage — We agree with the letter to the editor by Paul Schlein of Arrowsic, Maine, in the Bangor Daily News. Quoting from his letter: ‘The reality of his (your) administration is that he is (you are) one of the most ineffective governors this state has ever had, and that his (your) confrontational, divisive approach to governing has rendered him (you) incapable of accomplishing anything productive.’
Mr. Schlein then requested your resignation. LePage, please also add our requests for your resignation.”
Rev. David Stillman
Dotty-Kay Stillman
Mount Desert
Negotiate drug prices
There is much talk today about saving Medicare and yet there is a pretty simple solution. Currently, Medicare is prohibited by law from using its buying power to negotiate with drug companies. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is not bound by such a prohibition and saves billions of dollars annually.
It is time to change the law and to give the secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to negotiate prices for prescription drugs covered by Medicare. This is just common sense when there are seniors making the stark choice about whether to purchase medication, food or fuel.
Call U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King and ask them to cosponsor S.31, The Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2015.
Susan J. Wishkoshi
Orono