Election season is here and voters deserve more than talking-points, partisan rhetoric and promises without substance. Incumbents should be held accountable if they want another term
By TAMMY BELANGER | Biddeford Gazette Columnist
Let me start by making something perfectly clear. I am an independent. I vote on the issues, not the political party.
I have little patience for partisan politics and even less for elected officials who seem more concerned with voting along party lines than representing the people who elected them.
I don’t care whether you have a D, R or I next to your name. I care about what you stand for, what you accomplish and whether your decisions are in the best interest of the people you represent.
As election season approaches, we will undoubtedly hear from candidates and incumbent politicians about their experience, accomplishments, legislation they have supported and money they have secured for our communities.
Those things deserve to be discussed. But I would also like to hear more about the results.
For those currently holding office and asking voters for another term, I have some questions.
Let’s start with MaineCare and accountability for taxpayer dollars.
A January 2026 federal audit identified at least $45.6 million in improper MaineCare payments for certain services provided to children diagnosed with autism. Of that amount, $28.7 million represented federal funds that auditors recommended Maine return.
That is an enormous amount of money.
What are our elected representatives doing to ensure that taxpayer-funded programs are properly monitored? What safeguards have been implemented? How much money can be recovered? What legislative oversight has taken place, and what changes are being proposed to prevent similar problems?
These are not unreasonable questions. We are talking about money that should be supporting people who genuinely need services.
Let’s talk about affordability
We hear a great deal about legislation intended to make life more affordable for Maine families.
Yet residents continue to face substantial financial pressure from gasoline, heating oil, groceries, housing and property taxes.
Here in Biddeford, our property tax rate has increased from $14.94 to $15.76 per $1,000 of assessed value for FY2027. That represents an increase of approximately 5.5 percent in the rate alone.
For a home assessed at $400,000, that rate change represents an additional $328 annually before accounting for any changes in assessed value or exemptions.
For families on fixed incomes, retirees and working households already struggling to make ends meet, these increases matter.
I recognize that not every increase is controlled by our local or state representatives. But I would like to hear specifically what they are doing within their authority to address these pressures.
What legislation have they supported that has produced measurable savings? What spending have they questioned? What changes have they proposed to reduce the burden on taxpayers?
And when new programs are introduced, are we evaluating whether they are effective before committing additional taxpayer dollars?
Education deserves the same level of scrutiny
Maine has made significant financial commitments to public education, including maintaining the state’s 55 percent school funding commitment.
But increased funding should be accompanied by a serious discussion about student achievement.
According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 26 percent of Maine fourth-graders performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in reading. Maine’s average fourth-grade reading score was below the national average.
I understand that standardized testing is not a foolproof measurement of a student’s abilities or a teacher’s dedication. However, it remains an important indicator of educational progress.
We should be asking whether increased spending is producing improved outcomes.
Are more children reading at grade level? Are students better prepared for higher education, technical training or the workforce? What is being done differently when existing approaches are not producing the desired results?
Our teachers deserve the tools and support necessary to succeed, and our children deserve an education that prepares them for their futures.
Taxpayers deserve to understand how their investment is being used and what results it is producing.
Taxpayers deserve to
understand how their
investment is being
used and what results
it is producing.
What about the programs we continue to fund?
This is a question I believe deserves more attention at both the state and municipal levels.
We frequently hear about new programs, expanded services and additional funding. What we hear far less about is whether existing programs are meeting their objectives.
How often are they audited? What measurable outcomes are required? Are programs with overlapping responsibilities being evaluated? When something is not working, are changes made, or do we simply continue funding it?
Please answer the hard questions
Supporting our communities and being responsible with taxpayer dollars should not be mutually exclusive.
Public safety, infrastructure, education and assistance for people who genuinely need help are important responsibilities of government. So is ensuring that the money allocated to those priorities is being spent effectively.
This is what I would like to hear from every incumbent seeking reelection.
Not simply how many bills you sponsored, how much money you helped allocate or how many years you have served.
Tell us what has improved. Tell us what hasn’t worked.
Tell us what you have done to correct it. Tell us what you plan to do differently.
And tell us how you intend to make life more affordable for the people who are paying the bills.
I am not suggesting that any one elected official is responsible for every problem facing our state or community. Nor am I suggesting that every problem has a simple solution.
But public service comes with responsibility, and experience should bring accountability.
As residents and taxpayers, we should be able to ask difficult questions without those questions being interpreted as personal attacks or partisan criticism.
We should also be willing to listen to the answers, examine the facts and recognize meaningful progress when it occurs.
Election season should be about more than campaign promises and lists of accomplishments. It should be an opportunity for an honest conversation about where we are, how we got here and what our elected officials are doing to move us forward.
Because at the end of the day, the question is not simply how much government has spent.
It is what the people of Maine are getting in return.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Tammy Belanger is a regular columnist for the Biddeford Gazette, covering City Hall and other public policy issues impacting the city. She is a longtime Biddeford resident, small business owner, photographer and dog lover. “I am a wife and a mother of three adults who were raised here. I care deeply about our community, and the people who live here,” she says.
The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Biddeford Gazette, its staff, affiliates or sponsors. We encourage robust and diverse community conversations on topics related to the city of Biddeford. To submit your own letter or column, please CONTACT US
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