City councilors and city staff who are not property owners in Portland seem less motivated to be conservative regarding property-tax increases than those representatives and municipal employees who pay property taxes. This group includes Mayor Ethan Strimling and many of the upper-level administrators who make fiscal decisions for the city.

My property taxes have doubled since moving to Portland in 2000. Property taxes are the easiest, laziest way to increase revenue for the city. New sources of revenue need to be considered. There are many excellent ideas for improving Portland, but if something is not essential, it needs to be put on hold until alternative sources of funding are procured.

Citizens and councilors are both guilty of wasting tax revenue. Parents do not want to consolidate schools. Councilors do not want to wait for a decision regarding state funding versus local funding to repair schools. Social services, polling places, homeless shelters, fire and police stations, and health care providers in our city could be combined or administered on a county level. We have too many of these services, especially when compared with other municipalities.

Convenience is expensive, but everyone wants everything to be immediately available, locally located, within a mile of their house and with free parking.

When voting in November, consider voting for the candidates who have ideas, but who also ask “Who will pay for this, and how?”

Benjamin Ingrao

Portland