The mitigation of change
Dear Editor:
We live in an age of suspicion. Conspiracy theories, false narratives, and lies seem to hover around every corner. Who should you believe? What should you believe?
Most of us believe what we see, what we feel, and what we know in our bones to be true. Sometimes, however, we need to step outside our circle of comfort and take a closer look at the reasons for extreme change and how the effects of that change can be mitigated. Our neighbors in Wiscasset and Boothbay are forming a joint citizens’ group to research ways to mitigate the extreme changes they are facing – the decline of school enrollments, the rising median age of residents, and the increased tax burden of maintaining independent public services for a small community. Does this sound familiar to Edgecomb residents? Do you believe this is a false narrative?
In 2025, our property taxes increased by 32.5%. If the Proposed 2026 Edgecomb Town Budget is passed by residents at Town Meeting in May, our taxes will increase once more. Do you believe this a conspiracy theory?
If you refuse to engage, refuse to look at the evidence and choose to retreat into the shoals of the status quo, how will you survive the ongoing financial maelstrom? Most likely you will join other uninformed souls who have been told not to jump from the tired vessel that Edgecomb has kept afloat long past its usefulness. You will pay more taxes, and you will be supporting an outdated, small-minded, costly form of town services and public education. In the end, you will be left standing on the deck of a sinking trawler as our neighbors speed by on their way to a brighter future.
Cynthia Marsh
Edgecomb
