Dear Editor:

We’ve all seen a lot of time and money wasted on a proposed expensive construction project that may actually stand in the way of longer-term education solutions for all area students.

I listened to last week's timid and tentative discussion about the future of education in our area that included Boothbay Region and Wiscasset, and it is clear local school officials won't seriously consider anything but business as usual until both parts of the current costly construction project are finally voted down in November.

And we know how the current broken education “business model” works. Despite dramatic drops in enrollment (only 113 local students now in the high school), Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor taxpayers will pay 100% of all construction costs plus annual interest at the highest rates in many years.

We will also continue to pay higher and higher taxes every single year going forward so that other towns in the surrounding area can send their Grade 7-12 students here at a deep discount to our actual costs.

If this overwhelming burden on local taxpayers is not changed now, then when will it ever change?

The good news is you can vote early, as ballots are available Oct. 6 at the Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor town offices.

The sooner we put this well-meaning but misguided construction plan behind us, the quicker we can finally focus on curriculum and creating a better future for students and taxpayers alike.

Tom Perkins

Boothbay Harbor