Voting for the merger of the Lewiston and Auburn city governments will be on the November ballot. There has been disagreement with that proposal.

The elected citizens who are proposing this idea are honest and intelligent people who have devoted years of study of how to do this, the advantages of it and the taxpayer savings that will be forthcoming.

Have those opposing this plan done the same amount of study and research that the advocates have done? I suspect they have not. I think their opposition is that of community loyalty, suspicion of the other city, belief in unproven rumors and innuendo, or the ease of not doing anything.

If a person listens to the proposal and asks questions, there is a lot to like. The final result in several areas cannot be determined until after the election when there is a full agreement on all of the issues to join the two city governments. It won’t be easy to bring together the different tax rates, computer systems, welfare loads, unionized sectors, etc., but it can be done if there are good faith deliberations and planning.

I think it is worth it for our children’s and grandchildren’s benefit. Years from now, those living here will be happy that this generation had the courage and foresight to start this process. It is important to vote “yes” and begin the merger.

Thomas Shields, Auburn