PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • October 29, 2024
On Nov. 5, Scarborough will vote on a $6 million land bond. It is being pitched as a solution to runaway growth. It is unrealistic to think that taxpayers can outbid developers on enough land to protect the quality of our land and water. A more practical solution would be to control growth and protect our natural environment. Creating effective zoning and growth ordinances would be the obvious place to start. Our leaders also need to learn how to say no to developers. Plus, the land bond may be used for purposes other than conservation, including “to support recreation.” We support local conservation. But we believe the land bond is impractical, ineffective and unfair. ~ Steve Hanly, SMARTaxes (Scarborough Maine Advocates for Reasonable Taxes)