Recently there have been letters in the media criticizing Councilor Messer for stating that his goal while on the Council has been and is an average mill rate increase of no more than three percent a year, as too liberal a spender. For most of his eight years on the Council Mr. Messer has been able to find at least three other councilors who will agree with him. As one who has been one of the three for the last four years, I believe some perspective is in order.

From 1991 through 1996 the property tax mill rate increase averaged more than double Councilor Messer’s goal. In pursuance of his goal, Mr. Messer has not been dogmatic, either. The average mill rate increase of 2.8 per cent over eight years includes two years when the rate was about five percent, due to special circumstances. The School Department cannot show that it has been underfunded during Councilor Messer’s eight-year tenure. In 1997 the school budget was $12,493,000 with 2,527 students enrolled. This year the school budget is $25,581,000 with 3,313 students enrolled. In 2002 the voters added $27 million of town-funded debt for the high school, with unanimous council recommendation.

The official Federal government inflation rate with its exclusion of food and energy costs, housing costs from imputed rental income, and hedonic adjustments, is a joke, apparently designed to suppress the COLAs of persons receiving social security payments. An average mill rate increase of 2.8 percent, 2.4 percent if voter-approved debt is factored out, is a considerable achievement compared with the real inflation rate, whatever it is.

Do the three sitting councilors who would have preferred to spend somewhat more, and increase the tax rate somewhat more, become ciphers once the budget is voted? Hardly. These three councilors have been the lead persons in the Haigis Parkway development, Comprehensive Plan Update Committee, traffic studies, subdivision and site plan revision and affordable housing efforts. While the focus is on the budget deliberations, the council’s other work keeps moving along.

Those who carp at Councilor Messer’s 2.8 per cent average mill rate increase during his tenure on the council highlight a more important issue. Five of the seven sitting councilors were not opposed during their most recent campaigns. Our political system requires that persons with differing ideas put them into the political arena, and let the voters determine whose ideas will prevail until the following election. Given the unwillingness of people to come forward and present alternatives in two of the last three elections, it can reasonably be argued that Scarborough is receiving better governance than it has a right to expect.

For those of you who complain, but don’t wish to take on an incumbent, and don’t wish to make a three-year commitment, I present you with a great opportunity. At the end of the present council year I will be moving. There will be a one-year seat available. In particular, we have heard much from the seniors recently, so here is your chance. Grasp it!

Steve Ross

Sawyer Road

Scarborough