I support the Cumberland County Recreation District trustees’ efforts to increase revenues and lower their dependence on yearly property taxes; they represent Cumberland County’s citizens, not interest groups.

The Nov. 26 editorial erroneously draws conclusions as to who may and may not benefit from negotiations (“Our View: Portland Pirates, civic center owe voters more talks”).

It centers on the restaurant owners in Portland, those that supported the Cumberland County bond issue, and implies that these businesses need to be the benefit recipients of the drawn hockey fan traffic, not the county taxpaying citizens.

Where is the consideration for the new clientele and fans that come from other, better-attended events, ones that deliver more net revenue for overall county businesses and citizens versus just the hockey universe interest group?

Does the editor realize that all county residents, not just Portland’s, were led to believe their Civic Center would achieve more revenue once the renovations occurred, thus lowering or eliminating the need for additional Recreation District yearly property taxes?

Now the editor opines that the trustees should negotiate less stringently with the Pirates’ management, thus bringing in less net revenue for the district and its citizens. Why? Why not have the hockey universe compete economically with other comparable revenues?


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