Emera’s errors
An Aug. 18 article regarding Emera’s request to have “overpaid taxes” abated by four communities, including Brewer, focused on one side of a complex issue.
The Brewer City Council needed to establish whether the assessor made an error or could have prevented an error in the city’s assessment.
Emera provided the city with a declaration of assets and failed to provide specifics, as other utilities choose to provide. We did not tax Emera on a specific asset as they now claim; we assessed the total miles of line, as they reported. Their lack of specifics made it impossible to determine that a discrepancy existed. Therefore, the city council did the only thing it could legally do, which was to deny Emera’s request. We specifically were prohibited from abating this request under Title 36 MSRA Section 841, which is supported by Maine case law (Goldstein v. Town of Georgetown).
Emera asking the council to absolve them of their responsibilities and errors would have resulted in a tax shift to all other Brewer taxpayers. As mayor, I am confident the law specifically prohibits the city from acting in any other capacity, as I do not believe it would have been fair or equitable for taxpayers to pay for Emera’s errors and omissions or their failure to seek a timely redress to this issue, which is three years old.
Matthew Vachon
Mayor
Brewer
Nurture leadership in women
On Wednesday, Aug. 26, let’s celebrate the 95th anniversary of women’s voting rights being added to the U.S. Constitution. At 6 p.m., I will be at an event in West Market Square in Bangor with other members of the Mabel Wadsworth Center’s Advocacy Committee. For many decades, I have marked this day with fun and advocacy. It is a landmark in a centuries-long journey to justice and equality.
One measure of our progress is how far we’ve come advancing women in public office and how those women help other women to rise in society. In 2015, 104 — 76 Democrats and 28 Republicans — women hold seats in Congress, 19 percent of the 535 members. Thirty-three are women of color, and 20 of the 104 serve in the U.S. Senate. Of course, Maine is one of only three states in all of history to send three women to the Senate.
It is wise to nurture leadership in our young women, and Maine boasts several good programs. The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine sponsors the Maine New Leadership program for college women. Many campuses have women’s centers or groups. The Maine Women’s Policy Center sponsors a Girls Day at the State House. Hardy Girls programs reach those as young as fourth through eighth grades. Yet, we could do so much more.
With less than 20 percent of Congress and only six women governors, we must all work harder to encourage young women to lead our nation and our world for the benefit of us all.
JoAnne Dauphinee
Brewer
Brooks is honest, fair
It is a shame to malign Eddington Selectwoman Joan Brooks, a woman who has dedicated 50 years or more to our town in service to the school board, planning board, board of selectmen, as well as countless subcommittees and conferences.
I know my friend and neighbor to be highly intelligent, fair minded in her dealings, a thorough researcher of whatever subject is before her and she has no personal agenda attached to her service. The 116 people who signed the recall petition reminds me of Salem, Massachusetts, in the 1690s.
Eddington, like all communities, has many and varied challenges, and this vicious attack on a good and valuable person does not help solve them. It only serves to create further discord with our community, clouding the important issues that need resolution.
Gloria Faulkner
Eddington