Fifteen years ago on the first of July, Long Island seceded from the city of Portland and became its own independent town. The fifth and tenth anniversaries of the Town’s incorporation saw huge celebrations. This year, however, no celebrations are planned.
“Long Island is always up for a party, but people are stretched thin,” said Mark Greene, one of the architects of secession. “We’ve got so much going on here.”
Greene says that shows what a good thing secession was. Long Islanders may be overbooked with their own projects now, but in the old days they spent most of their time trying to take care of the community’s basic needs.
“We put so much energy into trying to accomplish the smallest things here and usually ended up doing them ourselves,” Greene said.
The secession movement arose from a number of grievances against the city of Portland. Long Islanders felt they didn’t get their share of services.
“We fought battles to keep our policeman, our school, our fire truck, our medical services,” said Greene. “In 1992 it could take two hours to be evacuated five miles – the city should have hung its head in shame.”
Greene is careful to note, however, that the town now has an excellent working relationship with the city, including mutual aid agreements for fire and emergency medical services.
Long Island’s secession movement began in earnest following a revaluation by the city in 1991. But Greene says it would be inaccurate to think of the process as a tax revolt.
“It was just the match in the can of gasoline that the city allowed to sit unopened for 20-plus years.
“The 1991 revaluation stunned the pants off islanders as to the economic realities of remaining here. When they came to, they realized they had very little control over spending and very little control over their community.”
Fifteen years later, things could not be more different. The town has one of the lowest tax rates in the state, following its first revaluation in 2007. The fire department is well-equipped and has dropped its insurance score from class nine to class six – unusually good for a department its size.
A volunteer committee organized the construction of a new wing on the Long Island school, housing an art gallery, meeting room, and library – funded entirely by donations and grants. Active groups also maintain the community center and the VFW hall. Another volunteer committee began work on an affordable housing project last year.
“It’s hard to find a place to have a meeting some nights of the week,” said Greene. “The level of participation is awesome, if tiring.”
Michael Floyd, chairman of the board of selectmen, says that of the town’s accomplishments, he is proudest of the low taxes.
“We’ve kept people down here who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it with the housing boom,” he said. Long Island’s mil rate for 2008-09 will be roughly six dollars per thousand dollars of valuation. Had the island remained with the City of Portland, the tax rate would be $17.10 per thousand.
The next 15 years will bring their share of challenges. Greene and Floyd both point to the possibility of a town administrator as a way to reinforce the progress the island has made.
“We need to keep up with our infrastructure,” said Floyd. “If a project doesn’t have a champion, it gets left by the wayside.”
High oil prices are another cloud on the horizon.
“How are you going to go lobstering when you’re paying five or six dollars for diesel? How are you going to buy heating oil?” said Dick Clarke, the island’s fire chief and only oil dealer. “I don’t think there’ll be people here if we don’t take steps to preserve the community.”
Despite the challenges, islanders are quick to mention the community’s resources. The selectmen point to the growing number of young people on the island as a major advantage.
“I had four of them training with me on the rescue boat last night,” said Floyd. (The new boat can transport patients to Portland in sixteen minutes.)
“They realize what they’ve got and they don’t want to lose it,” said selectman Newell Stewart. “The island is entirely different from the way it was when I first lived here.”
With all this activity, Greene says the lack of a celebration this year is not a bad thing.
“Am I disappointed that there’s no celebration? I’m proud that we’re too busy to stop.”