I read with “interest” the Feb. 17 article (The Irregular, Page 1, “Preliminary subsidy report may force change next year”) reported by David Hart on the Feb. 11 school board meeting.

In the article, Quenten Clark (MSAD #58 Superintendent) reported to the board what the funding shortfalls or increases the district towns might have to raise in local taxes: Strong and Phillips, $200,000 each; and Kingfield, $140,000. These figures are based on the state’s valuation of each town. I am quite confident that Mr. Clark’s presentation was accurate and professionally done.

On Page 25 (of the same issue), the last paragraph has a quote from Mike Pond, chairman of the school board and resident of Strong. I quote: “The only town I see flourishing is Kingfield and we got killed with the TIF. It has seriously impacted this district.”

I understand the frustration that our small towns are feeling, especially if these town do not have an industrial base to fall back on. But Mr. Pond, get your facts straight; and do not blame Kingfield.

The Kingfield TIF on the land and buildings of $20 million did not lower OR increase the town’s valuation. It’s as if Poland Spring did not build in Kingfield. Had PS built in Strong, I can assure you a TIF would have been agreed upon. The Franklin County Commissioners have a TIF agreement with TransCanada, and Eustis will be accepting a generous annual cash donation based on kilowatts sold.

Why then, Mr. Pond, do you feel that our twoyear old TIF has hurt the district? Explain yourself!

Next year, Poland Spring’s personal property tax bill will be $20 million; this will increase the town’s valuation. This being part of the BETE Program, which is tax-exempt, we will hopefully get reimbursed 70 to 80 percent from Augusta. This creates a 20 to 30 percent revenue shortfall for Kingfield. Poland Spring’s permit allows for two more water lines in the future and that will increase Kingfield’s valuation by another $20 million.

So yes, we gave PS a $20 million TIF, where Kingfield residents get to keep 60 percent for future economic growth, which could create more “local” jobs. But $20 million next year and another $20 million in the future will help our neighboring towns by shifting more of the school funding to Kingfield.

As a member of Kingfield’s Budget Committee, I am hopeful Mr. Pond will attend our next meeting and explain in more detail the funding problem that all MSAD #58 towns are facing. I would appreciate him explaining why Kingfield is “flourishing” in these hard economic times.

John Gold Frank is a Kingfield Budget Committee member and past TIF committee member.