You know that queasy, sinking in your stomach you get when you watch a friend throw themselves headlong into a boneheaded mistake that even a blind dog can see is only going to end up costing money and time and grief?
We are kind of feeling that way now as we watch the conniptions in Wiscasset and Waldoboro. Both towns have serious problems. They are dressed as budget issues today but really, what we are seeing is a real life, real time battle between the philosophy of cutting taxes at all costs and recognizing the realities of the cost of doing business.
We feel for the voters in Waldoboro who have given themselves a sharply divided board of selectmen to tend to their affairs. It may take at least one election, maybe two or more, to get that board on the same page again, whatever page that is, and it looks like it will be pretty rough going until they do.
We must admit, even as we encouraged Wiscasset and Waldoboro voters to vote their conscience Sept. 10, we honestly didn’t think they would vote against their own self interests, which is apparently exactly what happened.
Over in Wiscasset, we think the voters have harmed themselves with their decision on the assessing budget.
Never mind the personal fortunes of Sue Varney, who absolutely deserves a medal for the 35 years she has given Wiscasset. We don’t understand the wisdom of cutting a veteran assessing agent with proven experience in almost every part of town administration.
We understood the planning budget looked like a substantial increase this year, but we felt the selectmen’s explanation, plus the cost of laying off Varney, the impact of the loss of her expertise and the complications presented by the union contract would, in combination, carry the day.
Democracy means majority rules, but it doesn’t guarantee the majority is always right.
