Mayor Walsh’s messages in the city newsletter boast of the last eight years being a “great ride”. Much of that "great ride” for him has come at the expense of increasing the city’s tax levy over 80% in those eight years. It's a great ride if one can spend, spend, spend.

Orono’s tax base and citizens' house assessments have never been higher in the city’s history. Inflated home values and new density developments have created the largest tax base from which to tax and spend. Repairing roads and maintaining parks is great but not creating a whole new fire department and going into debt to build a new supersized public works building when only a new outside storage area was needed. These new projects are costing the citizens over tens of millions of dollars. Instead of getting a break in tax rates when times are good, the Orono citizens are watching their property taxes rise and the city’s reserves dwindle.