In Your Words

Vote “no” on the RSU 9 school budget

To the Editor:

I am thankful for the insights Farmington Town Manager Richard Davis takes time to give to me. I was particularly interested in a comment by a budget committee person re: my question about if they take into consideration shortfalls from the state and debt service when they make a budget recommendation. She said “No – we just consider the needs of the children.”

I don’t think this is proper. I look at the school budget (and probably the town budget as bureaucracies of themselves. I believe the school advocates intimidate the non-school advocates and they don’t feel they can express themselves. To me, the fact that we are paying over $770,000 every year for debt service, is not acceptable.

Our superintendent speaks about the generosity of the state (us taxpayers) in giving the district both Mallett School and the luxurious Mt. Blue Campus – yet at the same time, they cannot fulfill their general purpose aid, have raised the mil rate from 8.1 to 8.4 and full funding cannot be achieved.

There is something very wrong in these two opposing policies. I will quote Peter Tracy when he talked of the tax burden in Farmington, which is unsustainable. We have a huge bureaucracy, especially within the school system and it must be stopped.

This is your chance to do so, don’t continue to lie down and take it, citizens, because it will get worse! Just vote no to an increased school budget June 9.

Elaine Graham, Farmington

Do a pre-trip vehicle check before hitting the road

To the Editor,

If you are hitting the road this summer, you will have lots of company. With millions of Americans taking road trips, the last thing you need is car trouble. A simple pre-trip driveway vehicle inspection helps ensure a safe and stress-free journey:

-Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering and brake and transmission, as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.

-Check the hoses and belts that can become cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or show signs of excessive wear. These are critical to the proper functioning of the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering and the cooling system.

-Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.

-Check the wipers and lighting so that you can see and be seen. Check that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and inspect and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving during precipitation. Keep the reservoir filled with solvent.

If you find your vehicle needs service, repairs can be performed before your drive begins. The non-profit Car Care Council offers many free tools on its website to help you drive smart, save money and be car care aware, including the popular 80-page Car Care Guide and a custom service schedule and email reminder service.