I can see the need for a tax break for a company that hires thousands of local workers, is not yet established and is therefore struggling to make a profit and needs a tax break to survive. But Bath Iron Works, whose parent company is General Dynamics, has steady, lucrative work in the military armament field — which everyone knows is highly profitable. General Dynamics is so profitable that its top executives are paid in the millions of dollars per year, and the company has spent billions to buy back its own stock. It is a highly profitable company.

The tax break that it seeks, in the amount of $3 million a year for the next 20 years, is in no way necessary for that company to survive. The state of Maine and the city of Lewiston are suffering because of budget shortfalls. Maine does not need to give what little it has to add to the coffers of a highly profitable company that will probably never run out of work, given the power of the military industrial complex.

Many Maine citizens and services are suffering and need the modest cash flow from state sources to keep things afloat. Maine is facing survival, not Bath Iron Works.

Maine lawmakers should say “no” to this cash giveaway. Tell Bath Iron Works they will survive, that they will be OK. The people of Maine need that money so we can survive.

I am sure they will understand.

Patrick DeBoard, Lewiston