Letter to the editor
Too much government
To the Editor:
After reading about the commission meetings last week, these thoughts came to mind.
Because Marion County voted down having a casino, does that mean Marion County is going backwards? Is it not rather, we are saying a casino is not a legitimate business?
Isn't the issue government vs. people? Are people crying to the government to "do something?" Right now, government leaders are being exposed and are trying to cover for their selfishness, and we're saying, "Leave us alone!" You can't fool all of the people all of the time! It's the people's wealth, not yours!
County and city governments have taken upon themselves the authority to spend the people's wealth. I thought it was all about people working to earn their wealth, for each man to use what he earns to provide for himself and to be responsible for his own life.
Don't communities grow of themselves as people rise up to meet the needs of the community? Businesses develop from within a community to meet its own needs.
By what authority do the county commissioners or city commissioners go over the heads of the people and spend this kind of money for so-called economic developers? Do they ever ask why communities are dying? Is it because we don't have enough government involvement? Or is it just the opposite, that we have too much government involvement?
The way our local governments spend money is catching up with them and they are being exposed. Then they threaten us with service cuts or more taxes. Cut services? What services? It's our money in the first place! We're paying for it and everything else government does. How can government serve us if it's our money to begin with? What about the salaries, benefits, and all the other fat government gives its employees?
When it's not your own money, it comes easy and goes easy. If you want to promote economic development, then pay for it. Just don't make me pay. Government can't do anything without taking it away from me first.
Jerry Plett
Lincolnville
