Editor’s note: The first part of Paul Camping’s letter to the editor ran in last week’s edition.
To the editor:
Now, a little history. For reasons, that escape me, Mr. Cyr describes himself as a fiscal conservative, just like the members of the Secession Committee. I’m not quite sure of his motives here, but I for one, can tell you his feeling of comradery is not shared by the Committee. To fully understand why, I have to describe for you the events that transpired at the City Council meeting on the evening of January 14, 2013. City Council was to consider allowing City Manager Bleess to sign a contract with an aviation consulting firm that would handle the repaving contract for the runways at the Caribou Municipal Airport.
Some background information is needed here. The runways were in good condition and expected to last at least another three to five years, but the money to pay for this project couldn’t be guaranteed for that long. You see, 95 percent of the $3 million cost was coming from the State of Maine and the U.S. Government. All of it was taxpayer money. But we had to act immediately or potentially loose the funding. The City was responsible for 5 percent of the cost or approximately $175,000.00. This was roughly equivalent to one half of one mil in our tax rate.
The Caribou Airport is nothing more than a playground for Caribou’s well to do and well connected and this project was pure pork. General aviation in Caribou is a costly special interest and the airport has become a non-revenue producing money pit. In fact, if for some reason the airport was decommissioned, all of the grant money would have to be repaid to the agency that granted it. The City Council knew of my feelings in this regard and they knew that I was planning to speak out against the project. But before I could speak, Mr. Cyr went to the podium and in sum and substance, said this:
“If somebody came to me and offered to pay 95 percent of the cost of an improvement to something that was mine, I would seriously give it a lot of consideration because 5 percent of something in exchange for 100 percent of the whole thing is a good offer. I don’t like paying taxes anymore that the next guy, but I do believe there are certain things a viable community needs, to have and a well-functioning airport is one of them. Some of you know that I am a licensed pilot and I’m not here speaking as a pilot because I haven’t flown out of the Caribou Airport for at least five years as I have recently built a grass strip at my own home which I have been using.”
Later that same evening, the Council went into executive session and appointed Mr. Cyr to the Planning board. Obviously, the two events are connected. Mr. Cyr, like a good soldier for the city, had to earn his stripes.
The city could not afford to allow me to speak in opposition to the Airport Project without someone to speak in favor of it. Mr. Cyr was their man for the job. However, he did not speak as a fiscal conservative. His voice was that of another “tax and spend” politician, fond of catering to special interest groups who are not in short supply in Caribou. A fiscal conservative would have spoken against the project and pointed out that we all pay taxes to the State and Federal governments, neither of which can afford this expense.
Needless to say, the paving project went forward and the mil rate was increased.
In conclusion, it is for the reader to discern whether or not amateur city planner Phil Cyr was hornswoggled by fast talking Tony Mazzucco, who led him helplessly down the road to perdition, or in the alternative, did Mr. Cyr who affixed his good name to this report, know exactly what the Plan said about the City’s future plans for rural Caribou? The Secession Committee believes it is the latter.
Paul Camping, member
Secession Committee
Caribou
