(The following is the text of the letter that went out with the Alna tax bills.)

Enclosed is your tax bill for 1999. The bill format is different from previous years due to the use of the Town's new computer. This year's bill separates the value of your land, buildings and exemptions. Exemptions fall into three categories and amounts. The homestead exemption is $7,000, veterans $5,000 and tree growth varies with the amount of acreage. Several new residents of Alna will be eligible for the homestead exemption next year.

To be eligible you must have been a resident of the state of Maine for one year and you must fill out and submit to the Assessors the application form. For more information on any of these programs please stop at the Town Office or write to us.

The new bill also shows what your taxes pay for and in what amounts. Approximately 74% of your tax bill goes to schools, 21% to town accounts (snow plowing, road maintenance, salaries, fire department, etc.) and 5% for Lincoln County services. A note for taxpayers that own more than one parcel of land is that a separate bill is included for each parcel.

This year the tax rate is 21.3 mills, up about 10% from last year. The passing of the 20 mill threshold is a significant event, which we feel compelled to comment on. Most towns of our size have tax rates of about 15 mills. In dollars, the difference between 15 and 20 mills for a $100,000 property (about average in Alna) is an additional $500 in taxes.

What's the cause of our high tax rate? The primary cause is the shutdown of Maine Yankee and the high cost of the Wiscasset school system. During most of the life of the nuclear power plant, Wiscasset was charging us 50% of the actual cost of educating Alna school children. In 1992 Wiscasset imposed a plan to increase our costs from 50% to 75%, over a five-year period. With the early shutdown of Maine Yankee in 1997 Wiscasset has moved to increase the cost to 100% over three years. Next year, we will be paying 100% of our school cost as compared to 50% eight years ago. Wiscasset's per pupil education cost remains one of the highest in Maine. These costs are passed directly through to us.

On the non-education side, Wiscasset is now billing for the actual costs of services. Two years ago our use of their transfer station cost $32,000. Next year the cost is projected to be $50,000.

A secondary cause of Alna's high tax rate is the tax base of the town. Other than CMP power lines, we have no commercial or industrial property or large number of high priced seasonal waterfront homes (like Edgecomb and Westport).

Consequently, our tax base is overwhelmingly residential property.

Your selectmen and other town officials are actively pursuing solutions to the high tax rate. Some results could be realized next year while others would take longer. One effort discussed at last March's Town Meeting is a total town revaluation. Although this would not reduce the total tax levied by the town, it would make a much more equitable assessment on each property.

In some cases, probably for lower cost residences, there would be a tax reduction. We are also, researching less expensive alternatives to the Wiscasset transfer station. The school com-mittee is communicating with regional school committees to discuss common issues and opportunities to ensure that the best interest of the students and community are being met.

The school committee and we invite input from all citizens as these issues are researched.

As always, please feel free to come see us at one of our alternate Thursday meetings if you have questions or suggestions for other avenues we could pursue to reduce costs.

Sincerely, John Green, Selectman/Assessor Gordon Davis, Selectman /Assessor

- Green and Davis

Alna Residents Would Be Better Served By Different Ambulance Se

I am writing this letter out of concern for the townspeople of Alna. Over the past year or so there has been some heated debate over Wiscasset Ambulance Service and their lack (by choice) of paramedics. Let me first point out that at the time the service decided to drop their permit level to that of EMT-Intermediate from EMT-Paramedic, there were six paramedics in the area, including myself, willing to ride with them. I still feel that it was purely a political decision made without the best interest of local citizens in mind.

I recently called the Maine Health Information Center in Augusta, and found out some fairly interesting information. In 1998 there were 37 emergency calls for help in Alna. Of those 37 calls the Wiscasset service responded to 30 of them. More than half of those calls were classified as Advanced Life Support runs, which means the patients would have benefited from paramedic level care. On top of that, the average response time and total call time (from 911 to the emergency room) were 15 minutes and 47 minutes respectively.

The seven remaining emergency calls were handled by Central Lincoln County Ambulance out of Damariscotta. Their average response time and average total call time were 10 minutes and 36 minutes respectively. Not only were their response/call times better than those of Wiscasset's, but Central Lincoln County has paramedics on their service.

After looking at the information above, I think any prudent individual would see that it would be in the town of Alna's best interest for the selectmen to approach Central Lincoln County about providing primary emergency response to our town. I don't think the Alna Selectmen see it that way though. I brought this issue to them last December, and as you can see nothing has been done since.

Some people would suggest that when you dial 911 you should just ask for Central Lincoln County to respond, if you have a preference. Well there are a few problems with that theory. First and foremost the average person calling 911 will more than likely be far too anxious to make that request.

Second most people believe they will get paramedic level care regardless of whom they call. This is a combination of ignorance of the facts, and that most of what they pick up in the media and television shows nowadays have all EMTs labeled as paramedics.

The other problem is that even if you call 911 and specifically request an ambulance from Central Lincoln County to respond, it might not happen. I, just a few minutes ago, spoke with Lincoln County Communications at the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. When I asked if Central Lincon County was requested, would Wiscasset still respond, I was told no, not if you make it clear that you want an ambulance from Central Lincoln County.

But to cite an example, in October of 1998 my wife's grandfather was having a medical emergency while I was with him. When I called 911 I specifically requested Central Lincoln County to respond, being that the nature of the call, and his medical history, warranted paramedic level care.

Even though I made it clear that not only did I want Central Lincoln County to respond, but I did not want Wiscasset to come, when the ambulance did arrive it was a Wiscasset ambulance. Central Lincoln County was called after Wiscasset to provide a paramedic to intercept with Wiscasset's rig. I am also sure that if you listen to the tapes of that 911 call you will note that I was very clear in my request.

I could end this letter here, but I feel I should touch on the issue of the Alna First Responders. It seems that out of all 37 emergency calls in Alna for 1998, the first responders actually responded to a mere 13 of them. Not to mention their response time was an average eight minutes, at which time an ambulance from Central Lincoln County would only be about two minutes away.

Let me close by saying I personally feel that the town of Alna would best be served if the Wiscasset Ambulance Service was replaced by Central Lincoln County for primary emergency response. I also feel that with their record the town could save some taxpayers money by disbanding the Alna First Responders, and just having the Alna Fire Department respond to all emergencies. Thank you for your time in this matter.

EMT-Paramedic Alna

- Troy S. Payeur

No Apology Necessary

Marita Fairfield, in her letter to the editor last week, said that I misquoted Representative Ben Rines in my letter to the editor of the previous week. Fairfield said that Mr. Rines did not say that "the mascot committee has the integrity of a witch hunt." Prior to submitting my letter of two weeks ago, I sought and received from Mr. Rines verbal confirmation that my quote of his was exactly correct.

According to Fairfield, I owe her, her father, her niece, and George Flanders a "pretty good-sized apology," for committing two offenses in my letter. My first alleged offense is characterizing the anti-Redskin side as a minority when in fact they made up a majority of the committee. My letter said not one word about committee majorities or minorities, and I did not characterize the anti-Redskin side as a minority on the committee. I said they were advocating a "difficult and unpopular position."

My second alleged offense is disregarding and disrespecting the contributions of the pro-Redskins side. My letter in fact contained not a single word, or even the implication of disregard or disrespect to the pro-Redskins side.

Marita Fairfield deserves the credit for fighting the good fight and for leading an energetic and dogged defense of the proud Redskin name and tradition. However, to think that I owe her, her family, or George Flanders an apology for anything, is nothing less than ridiculous.

I ask the Wiscasset School Board to give serious consideration to the "Red Paints" option in the mascot committee report. It is the only option that can begin to put the mascot debate behind us, with the least amount of acrimony for all.

- Ben Barth, Alna

In Defense Of The Minority

In last weeks edition of the Wiscasset Newspaper, dated December 2, 1999, under Letters To The Editor section, I had the pleasure of reading an excellent commentary on the Wiscasset mascot issue written by Marita Fairfield, WHS, class of 1981. The letter was objective, informative and extremely well written in a fair, honest opinion of how Marita Fairfield personally felt about the Wiscasset High School mascot issue. She felt the committee she serves on was biased from the very beginning when the committee was formed.

It is my opinion, based on what I have read in the newspapers and after discussing the issue with town residents, that the committee failed to have an equal percentage of selected member representation of those who favored keeping the mascot name, "Redskins" and those who felt the name should be changed because it was offensive and discriminating to the Native American population. Principal Susan Poppish and committee chairperson, Judy Flanagan oppose the current mascot name being used at the high school in addition to a number of high school teachers.

Then you have members of the high school's civil rights team who are on the committee, many of whom oppose the use of the mascot name; plus you have the direct imposing influence of Chris Simpson, the liaison from the Attorney General's office to the school's civil rights team. Mix into the equation the fact that 95% of the 23 member committee favor changing the mascot name.

This heavy opposition to the continued use of the mascot name puts tremendous direct influence on the high school student population and on the citizens of our town. I have talked to a number of high school students about the mascot issue. Most of the students felt that the student population had a very limited voice in determining the effect of the outcome on the mascot issue.

They thought the matter would come to a final determination made by the high school administration, teachers and the school board members.

Personally I would have liked to have seen the original complaint referred to the Maine Civil Rights Commission who have the experience and expertise in handling complex issues involving possible discrimination cases. I don't believe there was ever any intention whatsoever that the mascot name "Red-skins" was selected or used for the purpose of bringing insult or offense to our Native American citizens. I feel that the school board members under the leadership of Chairman Bob McDonald will come to a fair and equitable solution to the issue.

Marita Fairfield has brought clarity and credence to the issues facing the committee she serves on. True democracy has never been perfect; but it serves us well when the spoken or written word is reported with honest integrity without finding fault with others. As Thomas Jefferson stated many times, "Attack the issues not the person."

Wiscasset

- John Chester

What's In A Name?

What's in a name? Is it the name that makes you or do you make the name? If a person's last name was somehow, someway offensive to another, would that make that person bad? It's who the person is. From the individual to the team, the school and ultimately the town.

If represented in a respectable and gracious manner, how could any name go wrong. I understand in life there are very few, if any, things that make everyone happy. I agree that the dilemma should be settled in a conscionable manner.

Personally, I think that the name has a totally different meaning than the textbook one. Just go to a basketball game or a pep rally. There you will find a whole new definition. One that means spirit, pride, unity. I say this

as a proud former WHS Redskin. Danny Crocker St. Louis, MO Class of 1985

- Danny Crocker