It is difficult to believe that members of the Rumford Board of Selectmen and Finance Committee didn’t get the message from the voters with the first two town budget votes. Yet they raised the budgetary amounts for the upcoming vote on Aug. 27.

What is this, a war against the very people they swore to represent?

On the second try, many folks voted the lower of the budget recommendations on most articles. Many voted “no” on everything. Then officials raise the budget recommendations? That is an insult.

They need to cut where it matters — town employees and their costly benefit packages — rather than trash and garbage pickup and street light costs.

The good old days are gone for this town and everybody seems to notice except the town fathers. They are not working to make things better for residents, but to protect those overpaid employees.

I will vote “no” on everything Tuesday, Aug. 27.

Diana Pratt, Rumford