In the Mail

Sadly, I didn't get the mail others did today, but to get caught up on the most recent Tom Donnelly mailer, check out the latter-day Lincoln at Hello Fitchburg.

The mailer focuses on property taxes, once again tying foreclosures to high property taxes. This mailer, of course, comes two days after Donnelly said he hadn't heard of a foreclosure due to not paying taxes. Also, check out this little nugget:

"In fact, (Donnelly) voted against raising your taxes at the October 9th City Council Meeting."

That, of course, is true. What also is true: Donnelly has said the city must increase the property tax levy the full 2.5 percent. What also is true: Donnelly has voted for the full 2.5 increase every year as a city councilor.

Fair enough for Donnelly to raise this as an issue, and in fact, he's right: Lisa Wong's desire to shift the property tax balance would increase residential property taxes. And, Donnelly has been pretty strident about not wanting an override. And he's right again, the city needs to keep up the 2.5 percent increases as a matter of fiscal policy.

That said, Donnelly's stance as the "anti-tax" candidate would go down a lot easier if he had, say Dean Tran's experience of proposing an increase of less than 2.5 percent -- or if he had voted for Tran's measure. For another take on this one, check out the Unicow.