Mainers want a national monument
On May 16, nearly 1,400 people filled the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine to speak to National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis and Sen. Angus King about the proposed national monument. There were so many people that only a few dozen spoke. If we all had spoken, we’d all still be there.
Before arriving, I was undecided and rather unaware of the details surrounding the proposal. Honestly, a big donation of this “good” had me skeptical and guarded. Both groups turned out, but it was clear support for this opportunity far outnumbered those opposed. This reinforced polls I’ve seen, including one that found more than two-thirds of the 2nd Congressional District support creating a national park. That night I saw overwhelming support for this proposal come from every corner of Maine.
I expected a typical “two Maines” battle right down the line, but there were folks from Presque Isle and Portland, Rockland and Dover-Foxcroft, Bangor and Belfast — all Mainers clearly wanting President Barack Obama to take steps to accept this incredible gift of 87,000 acres and a $40 million endowment offered by Elliotsville Plantation Inc. I left feeling excited and privileged that Maine is on the receiving end of something I am now convinced is a really great idea.
King saw with his own eyes an overwhelming majority at that meeting express enthusiastic, statewide support for the national monument. It’s the senator’s turn. I hope he will work with the president to benefit all of us.
Jordan Bell
Augusta
Koffman for state Senate
I am supporting Democrat Ted Koffman’s campaign for the state Senate to represent District 7. I first met Koffman while serving as a faculty member at College of the Atlantic. Koffman represented and advanced a central commitment of the college: the recognition that economic development and environmental integrity are not incompatible.
With the goal of harmonizing and advancing both ideas, he was instrumental in convening a series of “ Eco-Eco” (economics and ecology) conferences at the college and across the state. These conferences facilitated ongoing conversations among major state environmental organizations, business groups and state agencies and tribal representatives.
Maine is at an important crossroads today. Does its economic development depend on slashing wages and taxes, degrading the environment in a race to the bottom, or can we make a quality environment and an educated population our best long-term strategy? Koffman believes in the latter and has advanced that cause throughout his whole career. Join me in voting for Koffman in the June 14 Democratic primary.
John Buell
Southwest Harbor
National monument concerns
Like many Mainers, I am extraordinarily grateful to Elliotsville Plantation Inc. for wanting to gift the federal government and Maine 87,000 acres and generously establish a $40 million endowment to preserve this beautiful land near Baxter State Park. Nevertheless, I have two concerns that need to be addressed before accepting this gift.
First, include the indigenous people of Maine on the panel that debates the ramifications of the park. After all, these lands are sacred to the Penboscots. Their lands were taken from them illegally by the state, yet their voice remains unheard.
Second, strict zoning regulations accompanied by well-designed regional planning must be adopted to prevent blatant disregard of the region’s natural environment. The lack of such planning is evidenced as all witness when driving to Acadia National Park: strip malls, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, chain and private hotels, motels, restaurants and lobster shacks, along with traffic jams.
I am, however, saddened that this generous gift to preserve forever our cherished North Woods has become a political football taken up by Gov. Paul LePage. His administration’s intention is to undermine this vital project for Maine’s posterity and prosperity. We, the people of Maine, have a rare opportunity to break through this deadlock by uniting behind the effort to establish a North Woods national monument for the good of all.
David O. Solmitz
Waterville
Israeli settlements in Palestine
After reading Dud Hendrick’s June 2 BDN letter to the editor about Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, I realized he failed to tell the whole story. He neglected to tell of Israel’s withdrawal of its citizens from the Gaza Strip, turning it over to the Palestinian authorities.
What was their reward for this ostensibly good action? A rain of rockets and tunnels to allow Palestinian terrorists into Israel from Gaza. But no good deed ever goes unpunished.
I have a question for Hendrick and other like-minded folks: Would you prefer to be an Arab in Israel or a Jew in Palestine?
Hans Schmidt
Lamoine
Reject RSU 19 budget
The proposed Regional School Unit 19 budget for 2016-2017 increases $934,529 (4 percent), but school taxes explode by $1.524 million (16 percent) to $10.9 million, four times the percentage increase in the budget and 63 percent more than the dollar increase in the budget.
This grotesque budgetary monstrosity is the result of the school board trying to shove the costs of 2015-2016 and earlier budget mismanagement and overspending down the throats of the taxpayers.
The school board and the teachers union grossly misinterpret the near-destitute condition of many taxpayers in this district and turn to increasing taxes to cover up the administrative failures of the board instead of cutting spending.
Voters should send this budget back to the board for a major overhaul and spending cuts to bring spending into line with a reasonable level of school taxes, at least no higher than last year.
Vote no June 14 at town polls to stop RSU 19’s explosive increase in school taxes.
Hadley Smith
Palmyra
All children deserve acceptance
Thanks for Clara Bradley’s wonderful May 27 BDN OpEd. It was a compassionate, thoughtful and beautifully written OpEd about discrimination, bigotry and hatred in schools. Black, white, red, yellow, Christian, Jew, Muslim, heterosexual or otherwise, no child should ever be belittled, dismissed or bullied because of who or what they are. Children deserve all the love, affection and acceptance we can offer them.
To the extent we expect substandard performance from some particular group, we will surely get what we expect. Bangor High School should be very proud of this bright, very talented young writer.
Brent R. Slater
Bangor
Election notice
The Bangor Daily News will stop accepting commentary related to the June 14 primary on June 10. Not all submissions can be published.