On the ballot for the Nov. 4 election, there are seven referendum questions. Questions 2 through 7 propose bonds whose total costs (including principal and interest) would come to $61 million. Why has there been virtually no coverage of these issues?

Questions 3, 4, 5 and 7 apparently ask us to authorize using taxpayer money as venture capital to be paid to private companies and nonprofit research organizations. Is selecting business and research investments really what we want state government entities to do? Are they even qualified? Do they have any track record of success?

The website www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming.html provides no background or context that would help voters make an informed decision on these bond questions.

These bond questions contain lots of words describing pie-in-the-sky benefits, but no real basis for making a $61 million financial decision. Perhaps the media can fill this gap before uninformed residents vote on Election Day.

Mary Hodgkin

Cape Elizabeth

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