To the editor: The governor comes to the Berkshires to ask us to borrow more money. ("Gov. Maura Healey announces first two bills during visit to North Adams," Eagle, Jan. 19.)
I might hope for a better start to the new administration. A billion here and a few hundred million there add up to a lot of money for various things. Some may be useful or even necessary, but if so why not pay for them with current revenues? Borrowing money adds a cost, interest, and hides the true cost from the public for a while. Later taxes will be raised to pay the debt service.
Certainly bonds are necessary for large projects from time to time to spread out the cost of investment, but borrowing for routine costs such as those of housing, transit, libraries and broadband should not be necessary. Most of these expenditures reflect local needs that should be financed locally by those who can best judge the benefits and costs to the community.
The state throwing money here and there is a route to waste and excess spending. In the end, it means higher taxes in a state famous for high taxes.
Charles Strehl, Sheffield