Is Year after Year Deficit Spending the new way in Orono?

2024: What happened to the Park Fund?

In the past six years, the Orono City Council has spent over $1.2 million on park capital projects creating a $500,000 deficit by the end of 2022. This deficit spending will have to be made up by levying additional money each year in order to get the fund back to zero in 2025.

What kind of fiscal management is this? Why can’t this Mayor and his majority on the council spend within the fund limits? Why do special interest groups get their park projects considered while the Orono taxpayers have to pony up each year to fund their ideas?

Here’s a suggestion - why not involve the Citizens of Orono upfront and ask them what they want? Why not disclose the spending going on in the capital park fund instead of quietly running a big deficit?

In the last park survey, an overwhelming majority of Orono citizens wanted park money going to open space and trails - not expensive park infrastructure that only benefits special interest groups.

Now is the time to ask for transparency instead of accepting what is approved without citizen input.

Now is the time for another survey on what the citizens want for parks and how much they want to be taxed for it.

Let’s stop Denny’s drain on funds for what he wants and start asking for long term sustainable park planning.

#togetherwearebetter @friendsoforono