One after another, Wiscasset residents went to the podium at last week's Selectmen's meeting to say "let's get more facts before we rush to a decision" on changing the town's height ordinance at the request of Twin River Energy (TRE) to allow them to build a coal power plant. ``What's the rush?" they asked.

So what is the rush? No one offered an answer, except that it was to meet the desires of the real estate developers (Point East - TRE). It's clear that there remain many unanswered questions about barging in 7,000 tons of coal a day, questions about sound, odors, pollution and the safety of handling and storing chemicals. And what about the chemicals coming out of the plant—mercury among them—and the coal dust and grit? Do we really know what their full impact on the local lobster and shellfish industries will be? Do we really know what the loss of property values will be?

Also clear is the fact that once the ordinance changes, there will be no restrictions left in the way for the plant to be built. As the town planner said, the whole project hinges on this vote. The Planning Board will have no say if the applicant (whoever it turns out to be) stays within the new height limit.

It remains baffling to most Wiscasset residents why the Board of Selectmen chose to charge ahead with a vote to eliminate the one-and-only leverage they had to get good answers. Why throw open the gates, leaving an unarmed Planning Board to protect citizens? "Katy bar the door" if the ordinance change passes in November! The town will have lost control of the process.

Sending a team to survey existing facilities, gathering solid data on the open questions and concerns and seeing how other towns handled the protective ordinances for their residents seem quite a reasonable and responsible approach for our Selectmen. Why not implement the "lessons learned" of others more experienced, and with the scars to show for it? The only reason is the compelling "siren song" of good quality jobs for our region and tax reductions for the residents of Wiscasset. Such promise can be dazzling to the eyes of our Selectmen and residents with ever increasing tax burdens.

In the weeks ahead, with this "Commentary," we hope to discuss some of the issues and questions on the minds of Wiscasset residents, and our neighbors, and provide good data and information that will help Wiscasset residents make an informed decision on November 6 th .

The first questions to discuss, it seems, are the questions of good jobs and lower property taxes. Is there more to the story than what has been told so far? Let's start with jobs.

Point East and Twin River tell us 450 jobs will need to be filled for plant construction and 200 jobs will be filled for ongoing operations. Who is likely to fill these jobs? When asked how many of those jobs will be set aside for Wiscasset and other local residents, Scott Houldin didn't have an answer.

The truth is, qualified and hardworking applicants from Wiscasset and the midcoast will likely find that the best jobs are highly specialized engineering and union trade jobs that will go to the employees of the multinational corporation that comes in to build and operate the plant. This big company will bring in their own people from out of state. We learned this when Maine Yankee was built: the jobs that Wiscasset residents got at first were mostly entry-level, low-paying jobs. It will be many, many years before Wiscasset residents work their way up to the high paying jobs.

In the meantime, many jobs will be likely to leave Wiscasset because of the plant. Lobstermen, clammers and oyster farmers will be driven out of business. Jobs in the tourist market (shops, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, etc) will decline as visitors bypass the industrial town of Wiscasset in their search for the "the way life should be." We will be trading diverse, clean, environmentally friendly jobs for dirty industrial jobs. This would be a step backwards. Here is what the recent Brookings Institution Report says about protecting our "Quality of Place":

"Strengthen our brand by safeguarding our small town, rural character…

Maine is never going to have a competitive advantage over other states or countries that enjoy lower taxes or energy costs, a warmer climate or better educated workers. But Maine can beat just about everyone else as an attractive place to live. We have to build our economy around that unique competitive advantage."

With the coal plant, Wiscasset will transition from the community we know and love, with its real Maine "quality of place," based on its history and maritime heritage, to a place to avoid. Our town will go from "The Prettiest Village in Maine" to "The Grittiest Village in Maine." We can do better.

Point East promised us condos, houses, a marina and boatyard, shops, restaurants and a maritime village. If they get the go-ahead to build a coal power plant and diesel refinery next door, does anyone really believe they will ever follow through on those promises? Does anyone believe they'll find many people willing to spend $750,000 on a condo with a view of a brand new power plant?

Most appealing to all of us is the promise of lower property taxes. We all want lower taxes, especially those of us on a fixed income. But it comes at a price: Our property values will drop if we suddenly find ourselves living near a dirty, large-scale industrial plant. TRE says that won't happen, but common sense tells us it will. Just think of the old real estate adage "location, location, location." When looking for a house, how many people tell a realtor "we're looking for something in a neighborhood with heavy industry?"

Of course, a lower property value means lower equity in our homes. That is real money out of our pockets . If you planned to use some of that equity for your children's education or for your own retirement or health emergencies, you'll be in for a pretty unpleasant surprise. How many years of lower property taxes will it take to recover that loss in equity? If you own a $200,000 home and it loses 20% of its value due to proximity to the plant, you lose $40,000 in equity. Think of how many years of living with a large scale, industrial facility before you make that up in hoped-for tax savings. Can you afford to wait 15-20 years for your savings to start? (Especially since your property value will start dropping as soon as the plant gets the go ahead!) Lower taxes sound good until you know what the price will be in your lost equity and in your family's lost health from the chemical fumes from the plant.

The "siren song" of good jobs for our children and lower property taxes sound good until you look further. A true economic impact analysis should be done by experts in the field to truly measure the economic pros and cons. Only then can the truth be separated from the marketing spin. Trading diverse clean jobs for dirty jobs, trading our hard earned home equity for lower taxes and trading our historic "quality of place" for a gritty factory town don't sound so good after all.