Thank you for your coverage of the goings on at the Calais town meeting. However, we, the Calais Select Board, would like to set the record straight. Our current budget for fiscal year 2011-2012 is $1,536,605. The proposed budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 is $1,502,556 (see Page 21 of the Calais town report). With the defeated brush chipper, the budget will now be $1,467,556. That is a reduction of 4.5 percent.

We are pleased that we could reduce the tax burden for the citizens of Calais. Our total tax rate (school and town) for this year was $2.0486. Our proposed rate for this coming year is $1.984. We will continue to work hard to manage the finances of the town.

Thanks again for your interest in our community.

Calais Select Board: Denise Wheeler, Chairman Scott Bassage, John Brabant, Mike Garand, Toby Talbot