Yarmouth has changed greatly since I came here. Most of the old-timers who built this quaint little village have died or been forced out of town because of the taxes, which seem to go up constantly.

Gone are the days when every person who held a town office, worked for the town or volunteered on a board must live in Yarmouth. We seem to be serviced by many who live elsewhere, thus not experiencing what the actual residents experience.

Most distressing is that the bulk of the tax money goes to the schools, which, it is rumored, are the best in Maine. I guess money does speak, because of the amount that we are spending on our children.

The schools are good but not exceptional. Many students have special needs, which cost big bucks. Other schools in Maine are equally good. Teachers shouldn’t expect salaries like those paid in larger cities.

Children – and adults, for that matter – are not expecting to share their resources. Part of going to school is to learn how to get along with others. Parents are equally responsible for their child’s education and behavior. Do we have any follow-up studies showing how all this money we are spending is producing outstanding people?

Yarmouth doesn’t seem to care about the senior population, who are still being asked to support all the extras that new transplants feel entitled to. It is time to establish some sort of sliding scale so that those who want all the goodies for their children are bearing the bulk of these taxes.

I hope that the Yarmouth School Committee will look at the larger picture. Other towns are experiencing this same problem, and we need to look at how they are solving this influx problem. If families are moving to Maine, they should be expected to bear the costs.

Paula Steffen

Yarmouth