What do Franklin, Nashua, Dover and Derry have in common? Answer: A tax cap! And now a movement is picking up some steam to bring this tax cap to other communities. Derry has had its cap for awhile now and the debates continue on its effectiveness.
Our tax cap only effects the town side of your tax bill. Presently representing $7.50 of our $22.05 over all tax rate.
The tax rate consists of town side, school side, state, and county taxes. Only the town side is held under a tax cap which is tied into the CPI " consumer price index". Over the years, the average has been around 3% and meaning town side taxes may only increase by that CPI index or roughly 3% year.
Londonderry is now looking at bring one to their town and will look for a ballot question to ask its residents if they would install one in their town. Plenty of discussion to go around on pro's and cons.
Last week, I was asked to speak on New Hampshire Public Radio's Exchange program with Laura Noy on a live radio program on the subject.
If you would like to hear this program and my views on it here is a link to get there
http://www.nhpr.org/node/15988
***note Go to the listen icon on top and hit either window media or mp3 to listen to show*****
After listening to this debate , let me hear what you think about tax caps!!!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Legal Advise not heard costs $$$
Lets see if we can all follow some logic here for a moment. The Town of Derry has its own legal council who have been with this town for many years and with that comes a working knowledge and history which makes it a little bit easier than if we had to start with a new legal council for legal issues. Would you all agree?
Many times the issue comes up on the amount of dollars spent on legal issues and opinions and many times it comes up at the most political of times. Agree? The last two years especially.
Now when the town council decided to finally put to rest the McKinley/ Lake shore rd issue behind us- We find out that it will cost the taxpayers of this town many dollars. I am going to put behind the argument of whether or not it IS or ISN'T a public or private rd for now. The fact is that until last month, the town had these roads as private roads. No denying this fact.
The residents of this road to their credit came in front of this council for 2 years with their beliefs and opinions in hand and made their case that if they did not get their roads made public that a lawsuit would soon follow.
At last months meeting, when the vote came up to accept these roads as public, a question came up from new councilor Wetherbee. He asked legal council if we were approving the roads "as is" or according to the plot plan that was done long ago. The answer from Legal council? Plot plan according to RSA's. What happened? Four councilors voted to go against the advise of Legal council and voted as is.
The problem? Well I can tell you as the only councilor who has planning experience and as a realtor understand the ramifications of not heeding legal opinion and seeing first hand ( as all the councilors did as well) see the plot plan road was a lot longer than what actually is there. ( Meaning property owners have now officially encroached on town road). BIG BIG PROBLEM!
And now legal council ( knowing what a nightmare this could create) renders an opinion that the vote should be rescinded, then a survey should be done, then vote the right way to accept.
Did the councilors listen to legal council? Only three did. The other four voted to keep the things the way they are and NOT LISTEN TO LEGAL COUNCIL.
SO, today we paid for the legal councils first opinion, then because of a mistake of voting the first time ( Admitted by one of the councilors in public meeting) a second legal opinion to rescind cost the taxpayers and to add insult to injury, do not listen again and the topper of it all
Now the taxpayers will need to foot the $9000 bill to straighten out the survey.
The problem I brought up. It sets a bad precedent which will ultimately cost the taxpayers more money. The right way to do it you ask?
Wait until a survey was done on the road ( at a cost to the residents on that road. They were going to sue anyway remember. use that money to do the right thing) then come to vote on acceptance. It would of cost the taxpayers a hell of lot less money doing things the right way.
Cu dos to Councilor Wetherbee for catching on to the real issue early on. To bad the rest of the councilors did not listen.
Many times the issue comes up on the amount of dollars spent on legal issues and opinions and many times it comes up at the most political of times. Agree? The last two years especially.
Now when the town council decided to finally put to rest the McKinley/ Lake shore rd issue behind us- We find out that it will cost the taxpayers of this town many dollars. I am going to put behind the argument of whether or not it IS or ISN'T a public or private rd for now. The fact is that until last month, the town had these roads as private roads. No denying this fact.
The residents of this road to their credit came in front of this council for 2 years with their beliefs and opinions in hand and made their case that if they did not get their roads made public that a lawsuit would soon follow.
At last months meeting, when the vote came up to accept these roads as public, a question came up from new councilor Wetherbee. He asked legal council if we were approving the roads "as is" or according to the plot plan that was done long ago. The answer from Legal council? Plot plan according to RSA's. What happened? Four councilors voted to go against the advise of Legal council and voted as is.
The problem? Well I can tell you as the only councilor who has planning experience and as a realtor understand the ramifications of not heeding legal opinion and seeing first hand ( as all the councilors did as well) see the plot plan road was a lot longer than what actually is there. ( Meaning property owners have now officially encroached on town road). BIG BIG PROBLEM!
And now legal council ( knowing what a nightmare this could create) renders an opinion that the vote should be rescinded, then a survey should be done, then vote the right way to accept.
Did the councilors listen to legal council? Only three did. The other four voted to keep the things the way they are and NOT LISTEN TO LEGAL COUNCIL.
SO, today we paid for the legal councils first opinion, then because of a mistake of voting the first time ( Admitted by one of the councilors in public meeting) a second legal opinion to rescind cost the taxpayers and to add insult to injury, do not listen again and the topper of it all
Now the taxpayers will need to foot the $9000 bill to straighten out the survey.
The problem I brought up. It sets a bad precedent which will ultimately cost the taxpayers more money. The right way to do it you ask?
Wait until a survey was done on the road ( at a cost to the residents on that road. They were going to sue anyway remember. use that money to do the right thing) then come to vote on acceptance. It would of cost the taxpayers a hell of lot less money doing things the right way.
Cu dos to Councilor Wetherbee for catching on to the real issue early on. To bad the rest of the councilors did not listen.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Open Forum
What issue(s) are on your mind? With the budgets all finished for this year. What are those issues that need to be addressed or brought up for discussion?
We want to hear from you. SO look for the response box below and tell us your thoughts.
We want to hear from you. SO look for the response box below and tell us your thoughts.
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