Bah, humbug!

Date: 12/12/2012

Some local newspaper editorials and letters to the editor support Chicopee's continued increase in taxes each year. Fortunately, those type attitudes were overcome in 1776. Taxation with or without representation, when it's unjustified, deserves to be criticized and, hopefully, corrected.

There were also comments regarding all the things Chicopee has. Let's see now, consider this tale of two cities and Christmas carol (with my apology to Charles Dickens).

Springfield has five museums; Chicopee has none. Springfield has a railroad station and bus station; Chicopee has none. Springfield has two or three hospitals; Chicopee has none. Springfield has six or more colleges; Chicopee has one.

Both cities have over 20 percent of the tax levy in surplus funds. Springfield's tax levy and average tax bill will decrease. Chicopee's increased although Chicopee under spent the prior year's budget by nearly $ 3 million and has under spent the budget every year for the past seven.

Springfield taxpayers received a timely holiday gift. Chicopee taxpayers received another lump of coal. As Ebenezer Scrooge said, "Bah, humbug!" But Ebenezer changed. Many Chicopee officials haven't. Some still sing their favorite carol: "Here we go a spending again, a spending again, budgeted or not again."

Chicopee taxpayers remain haunted by the past and present. Hopefully, the ghost of Chicopee's future reflects many new officials. So happy holidays, and a happy New Year too!

James Raschilla

Chicopee