YourNeighborhoodNews.com: The Hooksett Banner

It seems to us there is very little difference in results, whether a town or school district is governed by a traditional Town Meeting form of voting or by the official ballot law, commonly called SB2.

In either case, a tiny percentage of people can make drastic changes or vote down a warrant article. Both forms of government depend on having a representative sample of the population come out to sit through the explanation of each article and voting on it, whether right at the meeting or later in a voting booth. We have seen examples of both forms of government hijacked by just a few people with a special interest. It simply does not matter whether your town or school district has ballot voting or Town Meeting voting when few people are in attendance. When you have 50, or 150 or 300 people at a meeting and they represent 3 percent or less of a town’s population, that town is being ruled by a tiny minority that may or may not represent the public as a whole.

However, we continue to favor official ballot voting because it allows far more people to have a say in the spending decisions and governing of their town and school district. We do think the official ballot law needs to be changed so that articles can’t be zeroed out at the deliberative sessions. Perhaps other changes would also improve the law.

The larger question really should be: Does either form work the way we want it to? Perhaps New Hampshire is living in the past with its Town Meetings, a form that works best for very small communities that can get a representative percentage of the population into one room to discuss decisions.

No matter what the form of voting, it’s important to learn about the issues and make an informed decision. Don’t come out to vote on Election Day if you have no idea who is running or what the issues are. Or vote only on the candidates or issues you do understand. And if you do attend deliberative sessions of Town Meeting or School District Meeting, keep your neighbors in mind who may not be able to attend due to children, work, sickness or other issues. Let them have their say at the polls. Their vote should matter too.

-Ginger Kozlowski, Editor

How does $2.52 per $1,000 with increases in yearly operating budgets sound to you? School budget only!

After speaking with a state official, we are way below the square footage per student allowed by state requirements. Our classrooms are not overcrowded by state standards!

The McNamara Landing is for ages 55 and older. There is zero available sewer hook-ups. Growth projection?

I am on the Space Needs Committee and I am in full agreement with the fact that the police department needs a new home – one only needs to take the tour. I did not, however, have the opportunity to vote for or against the proposed site on the committee because I was not notified of that meeting.

I waver when it comes to whether or not the Allenstown Tractor site is the way to go. The following are my concerns:

1. Using the Allenstown Tractor site will take a commercial property off the tax roll. Regardless of how you play the numbers, the bottom line is that the town will be paying, in effect, an extra $7,600 plus per year on top of the bond.

2. When speaking to the reporter, I also gave him a list of other projects that Allenstown may need to confront down the road.

With all these projects in mind, I was hoping for a plan that may solve more than one problem. Perhaps combining the police station and town garage.

4. I am not convinced that when all is said and done if the tractor site proposal will indeed meet all of the police department needs. At this point, the police department is so desperate for a move, they would accept any change.

My last peeve is as follows:
When the Space Needs Committee was first formed, the goal was to have a broad and balanced citizen group. Typically, a subcommittee would have one selectman (in this case, Arthur Houle) to represent the board of selectmen. Within the last couple of months, two more selectmen jumped on the committee, making for a lopsided group.

This is a very important decision to make. I suggest that the citizens study all the issues. See for yourself the conditions at the existing police station. Examine the tractor site plans at town hall, and perhaps take a tour of the site.

Be sure to come to the informational meeting on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m., at AES, for the school proposal and police department proposal.

If you have questions, call anyone on the Space Needs Committee including the three selectmen.

Here they go again, “just another $57 average,” or 67, 78, 83, hike! Every year it comes; town “fleecing” season. Sometimes it feels like calling out into a wilderness. So few seem to realize how badly they are being abused. Income tax, property tax, car registration fees, fuel taxes, service taxes (phone, cable, electric, cell, being alive, etc.), and on and on. It adds up to a big chunk. Did you know the Romans levied the oppressive total tax rate of 25 percent per year upon newly conquered territories? Bring back the Romans!

The trustees now seem as intent as ever to continue to spend money on grand plans, rather than concentrating on traditional town operations and maintenance. We have equipment needs, personnel issues, road work, repairs, etc. They have a “full-court press” to spend millions for their comfort while some real big-money issues are on the horizon: sewer, water, trash, Manchester tuitions, etc. Following suit, the SAU thinks we should let them “keep the change,” (about a million), from the over-estimated school construction bond while the new schools have yet to be completed by the contractors.

It is your duty to watch out for your neighbor, so they watch out for you. Chase away the varmints. Your neighbors depend upon you voting responsibly and regularly. Check back a few years, taxes have gone up enough for a while. They have certainly outpaced the rate of anyone’s pay increases that I know of. They have undoubtedly outpaced the “fixed-incomes” of many folks, your neighbors.

Come out to vote, please. It is easy. Just say no to all questions asking to “raise or appropriate” any money and no to any new “Capital Reserve Funds.” Where it says “budget,” select no. Of course, our taxes will still go up as before, but not as drastically.

In your letter to the editor published Feb. 10, you posed the question “Do the math.”

The only problem with your math is you do not take into account all the numbers that create the equation.

The state sets a maximum class size of 25 for grades 1 and 2, but they assume that your classrooms meet state standards.

There is also a maximum of 30 students per class for higher grades. Yet they also fail to tell you that our class sizes are close to the state average. How would we meet adequate yearly progress (which is required by law) with their figures?

I would challenge you to ask any person from the state or any teacher if you could gain adequate yearly progress with these class sizes. I would guarantee that they would all say no.

When you look at the numbers of our classes, you should first do better math. There is always the chance from one year to the next that some classes might be lower or higher than we want; it is better to have a lower number than one that far exceeds the state maximum. We all know that we have a population that changes not only from year to year, but also week to week. We also have 32 new houses being built in town and with other developments on the horizon; there will be increased need.

Your assertion that there is room to house our fifth grade at the elementary school is not accurate. I would invite any one of you to come to the school to see how crowded it is.

The question about the principals is also inaccurate. The school board made a decision to go with two principals because we have two different schools with totally different needs. If you look at the old budget, the cost is not far off from what we paid with one principal and assistant principal.

I would ask that any residents who have questions about this proposal or the math that the McKenneys and Boutins have provided, please call me and I will discuss it with you.

As state funding for this project has increased from 30 percent to 60 percent, now is the time to push this initiative forward.

When we vote on March 8, let us remember that public education shapes the future of our children and our society.

The land use change tax is 10 percent of the value of the land, not the proposed buildings on the land. Twenty-seven acres of land in Allenstown is not worth $3 million.

Furthermore, in the selectmen’s meeting minutes of Jan. 24, the figure $300,000 was again used. That $300,000 is an invented figure with no basis in reality.

Elected officials need to check their facts. It’s ludicrous to run a town government based on false rumors. In the past 15 years, the land use change tax has only averaged $3,000 per year. It’s not a large source of revenue.

The Allenstown Capital Improvement Plan clearly states the projects of the Allenstown Conservation Commission. The land use change tax was to help pay for a boat launch on the Suncook River. If the Allenstown community wants a boat launch, they will have to come up with the money.

The Governor’s plan is legitimate cause for concern to all who reside in this great state of New Hampshire. The plan is both unreasonable and dishonorable. The area I find astonishing pertains to money being diverted to those cities/towns on the basis of its academic standing.

That any governor would look at a city/town that is failing academically, and in no other terms reward that town, is foolhardy. There are well known differences between Democrats and Republicans, and this plan brings to light one such difference: see a problem, then toss money its way to try to fix it.

This is a feeble attempt to correct something and it’s a method chosen all too often by those in with a “D” next to their name. While this is only a portion of how his plan operates, it’s a clear reflection of how our Governor intellectualizes. Looking at the list of towns that will subsequently be burdened with a huge loss of education income is maddening in and of itself. Towns like Hooksett, Bow, New Boston, Derry, Londonderry, Auburn, Bedford and Amherst will all be negatively affected.

While his plan has yet to be voted on, I would hope people around our state will look long and hard at it. With all the other issues currently on Hooksett’s agenda, Gov. Lynch’s “plan” adds to the financial burden. $1.5 million to the Village School? The “master plan”? Lynch proposed allotment of 43 percent less in education funding? Do I dare ask what’s next?

Vote yes on Article 14. This article is to increase the existing adopted Veterans Residential Property Tax Credit from $100 to $500 per RSA 72:28 II and IV. Requested by Epsom’s Veterans., Sponsored by American Legion Post 112.

During the week of Jan. 25, we sold “wrist bands” at lunch to all sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. Combined with the collection cans set out, we raised $533 dollars, which will be given to the American Red Cross this month.

I’d like to recognize the following people for making this fundraiser so successful: eighthgraders Liz Belanger and Sarah Barnes; seventh-graders Bryan Medeiros and Brandon St.Onge; and sixth-graders Shaley Bergeron, Cara Prindiville and Sarah Velasquez. These hardworking kids assisted me in helping sell tsunami relief bracelets at Cawley Middle School.

I’d also like to thank Mr. Ed Groves for helping with the purchase of these bracelets through his company A&E Novelty. Without his help we wouldn’t have made such a profit.

Last but certainly not least, I’d like to thank all the staff and students at Cawley for supporting this fundraiser – we couldn’t have done it without you!

I am very surprised at how Sandy McKenney left out vital pieces of information about the schools. I will not deny that enrollment is down this year, but if you track enrollment in Allenstown, you will find that it significantly varies from year to year. A few omitted facts are that not all teachers have a classroom and some of the rooms are too small to house the maximum numbers allowed by the Department of Education. This can be confirmed by the fire department. Most importantly, the recommended sizes for classrooms were established before IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was passed in 1997.

It is often pointed out that our schools are not up to date. We look at test scores and find Allenstown not high enough. How can we compare when we are so far behind in programming, technology and humanities? You cannot add these needed programs because there are no rooms.

As for two principals, there is a need for two. The buildings are not connected, and because of the age differences in the student population, they maintain an appropriate philosophy and approach to clientele. A principal provides guidance for the staff and student population. They manage the school and through their daily attendance in the building, they are able to produce a logical working budget and a continuity in programming from kindergarten through high school. They are a figurehead and a needed link in the chain of command. Unforeseeable things happen during the day and the administrator’s guidance is needed.

As a resident, I am very aware of the elderly, many of whom live on fixed incomes, as my mother and many other family members still reside in town. I am also aware of the families that struggle to maintain the monthly bills. But we need to decide to move on this now when the state government is willing to provide 60 percent of the cost.

This year, Candia has a $2 million town budget with an additional $4 million in warrant articles. This puts the total budget at a proposed $6 million. (The town budget has doubled in five years.) The school budget is approximately $7 million, plus a three-year teacher contract of $544,000, making the school budget just less than $8 million. In addition, the School Board is asking for $5.9 million for school renovations.

A budget committee is a group of citizens elected to represent all citizens in the budget process. With the addition of a budget committee, the Board of Selectmen and the School Board would continue to prepare their budgets. Once these budgets are prepared, they are then submitted to the Budget Committee for review at public budget hearings. With public input, the Budget Committee reviews the proposed budgets for accuracy and necessity. They may make appropriate changes. These final revised budgets are then presented at town and school district meetings for approval by the voters.

Most of the towns in our area have budget committees. The budget committees aid the taxpayers by giving citizens greater participation in the budget process. It makes good sense to create a committee whose sole responsibility is the supervision of proposed school and town expenditures.

Again I urge the tax voters of Candia to give themselves a greater voice in the budget process by voting for a budget committee.

Honored were those young women who are able to balance academics and athletics in a very challenging environment we call high school. What is nice about this award is that it may not always be the star athlete or the student who makes the president’s list every semester, but rather it is for those who can have an impact in both areas.

While I am fortunate enough to have a daughter who was so honored I am very proud of her and her accomplishments, however, both myself and my daughter are equally proud and thankful for the support she has been given to help achieve the honor.

At Manchester West, we are very fortunate to have caring coaches as well as an athletic director. Caring in the sense, yes, they are concerned about the athletic programs, however, they never seem to forget the student part of these athletes, as well as character of the person themselves.

My daughter has been very fortunate to participate in two very successful programs at West – soccer and track.

While they have had very impressive seasons for many years what is even more gratifying is the way each coach treats his athletes. Soccer coach Jack Amero and track coach Leo Ducharme deserve a lot of credit for helping to shape the character of these young women, including my daughter.

Over the last two years, my daughter was very fortunate to be part of the very successful girl’s soccer team at West. What was more important was the role Jack, as well as Mr. Gosselin, played in helping my daughter work through a scheduling conflict with a soccer match and a National Honor Society function.

Listening to Jack speak recently at the year end soccer dinner what he said really demonstrates what he is all about. He simply said while everyone may not always agree with some of the things I do I always have the team’s and players’ best interests at heart.

This was never demonstrated better than in this year’s state championship game. There were only three seniors on this year’s team. During the closing minutes of that very close game, all three girls were playing and had the opportunity to close out their high school careers on the field, despite the fact one was very injured and another did not traditionally log as many minutes as some of the others.

Coach Leo, you too have demonstrated time and time again how you care about these young women more than just as athletes.

Countless number of times I have attended winter or spring track meets and have seen where Leo has had girls participating in events that may not be their specialty or that they may not be considered to be competitive in. Doing this for the betterment of the team or the individual.

Of course, the teachers are equally instrumental in terms of making themselves available for extra help for homework or test preparation.

So in closing, I would like to say I am very proud of my daughter’s accomplishments, thank you to the wonderful teachers, coaches and athletic director who helped her achieve this success.

The pressure is on Sen. Gregg to go along with a back door approach to using the national budget as a legislative vehicle to allow drilling for oil in the refuge. This fragile, vital ecosystem is one of our national treasures and should be protected. The oil obtained from this venture is predicted to supply oil for less than a year’s time. What a waste to ruin this pristine area for such a short sighted project.

The native Alaskan people in this region depend on the massive caribou herd that has migrated to this particular area for hundreds of years to give birth and raise their young. Drilling here will totally upset the balance of nature and destroy the livelihood of these native people who literally subsist by living off the land.

Please contact Sen. Gregg and urge him to resist using the national budget to allow oil drilling. The majority of Americans are opposed to drilling in the refuge. Please let him know his New Hampshire constituents are behind him to do the right thing.

To contact Sen. Judd Gregg, write to 393 Russell Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20501, call: (202) 224-3324 or email mailbox@gregg.senate.gov.

Thank you for caring about protecting our environment and the Alaskan peoples’ way of life.

Now, if Exxon and Mobil can merge and Proctor & Gamble and Gillette can merge, to name just two, and ultimately cut costs, why would it not seem logical for our water and sewer departments to merge, thus reducing the cost of operating two departments and save us, the tax-paying consumer, a few bucks?