I woke up Wednesday to read the news that Cumberland voters had voted down an affordable housing development project. As a nonresident, I was disappointed in the results. In recent years, I have watched several more affluent communities reject similar proposals, leaving communities such as Portland to develop affordable housing.

While I studied the proposal before the election, I would not profess to know all its finer details. I understand the development would have provided housing to young families with children (and older people), possibly putting pressure on the town to accommodate the influx. That said, Cumberland, with an average household income twice the state median, is better suited than most communities to handle the expense.

Having followed affordable housing issues across Cumberland County, I know some people vote against these projects for varied reasons. Some cite higher taxes, more children in the schools, etc. Those issues aside, what appalled me was the statement attributed to one voter who said, “We felt there was a lot of uncertainty with who would be living there and thought the income level was a bit low for the people we want to attract to town.”

There is so much wrong with this type of statement. It is blatantly discriminatory. This statement does not cast the town in a positive light. I realize that there are other people in Cumberland who are sympathetic to people looking for affordable housing. I hope their voices rise to the top on this issue.

George Shaler
Portland

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