Spending carries the day in Keene
Budget sails through as ?pro-education? group finds support
Nika Carlson
Sentinel Staff
Candidates endorsed by the newly formed ?pro-education? group Keene Cares swept the Keene Board of Education seats Tuesday in an election where voters approved everything on the ballot.
Incumbent Erik R. Murphy (1,213 votes) and first-time board members Shannon Sullivan (1,168), Elizabeth Coppola (1,181) and Kathleen O?Donnell (1,229) were all elected to the board.
Each of the four was endorsed by Keene Cares, a newly formed group that set itself in opposition to the Keene Taxpayers Association.
While the taxpayers association has long lobbied for lower taxes, Keene Cares ?is dedicated to identifying and helping elect pro-education candidates? to the school board, the group wrote in an e-mail.
?We want to keep from losing ground on the quality of education in our schools ... something that the voters in the Keene School District have proudly and traditionally supported for our children,? the e-mail read.
The two candidates the taxpayers association endorsed ? incumbent Stephanie Hunter and former board member Forrest Patenaude ? earned the sixth- and seventh-highest tallies, 584 and 412, respectively, in the 10-candidate race.
Prior to the vote, school board members called this election a tipping point for the closely split board, where so-called ?education-centered? members maintain a slim majority over an ?accounting-based? minority.
The new members will likely maintain, and even strengthen, that majority. Murphy has often voted with the majority in his short tenure ? he was appointed in June ? and the remaining three candidates emphasized education over expense in interviews with The Sentinel.
Hunter, the incumbent board member who was not re-elected, often voted with the minority.
Former city councilor Kendall Lane garnered the fifth-most votes (625), with just over half the votes of fourth-place Sullivan, with Steven Silverstein (219), Terry O?Connor (124) and Ronald Ruffle (111) following.
Joseph Hoppock was elected to a two-year term as moderator without opposition.
Voters also approved a $52,266,266 budget for the 2006-07 school year, up 6.3 percent from current spending.
That budget, before other approved warrant articles are accounted for, would require about 11.28 percent more, on average, from taxpayers.
Out of 15,609 registered voters in Keene, 1,961 cast ballots Tuesday, or about 12.6 percent.
Other items approved:
A $1.225 million bond for construction and repairs to most of the district?s schools, including near-complete roof repairs at Keene High School.
$71,433 for a two-year contract with district administrators.
$103,917 for a one-year contract with tutors.
People need to learn to say no to spending. And they wonder why the Taxes have gone up 20% over last year. I bet this year it will climb %10 more.
Goooooooooooooooooooood Greef!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keene is a known socialist/democrat stronghold.
Well, there will always be something for small government activists to do, then.
Quote from: dead president on March 15, 2006, 02:54 PM NHFT
Keene is a known socialist/democrat stronghold.
And what is that suppose to mean here? Look in the real world there is good and bad in every sector and party.
And that is why we need to look at every thing as a whole..In a positive way
What terrible news... a quick google of "Keene Cares" reveals nothing.
Only 12% turnout though. Is that high, low, or average for a local election in Keene?
Hey our "I don't vote" campaign is working ....... only 2000 people voted. :)
I don't get so worked up about spending, when it doesn't effect me. 8)
Quote from: russellkanning on March 15, 2006, 04:27 PM NHFT
I don't get so worked up about spending, when it doesn't effect me. 8)
That is what most people think and part of the reason why they are not voting to cut spending.
Quote from: russellkanning on March 15, 2006, 04:27 PM NHFT
I don't get so worked up about spending, when it doesn't effect me. 8)
Of course it will effect you sometime. And further more more money does not make kids learn anymore or any better.
Quote from: russellkanning on March 15, 2006, 04:27 PM NHFT
I don't get so worked up about spending, when it doesn't effect me. 8)
According to the other thread it does, if you are paying rent to have your mobile home on someone else's land.
I'm not getting worked up, but I feel sorry for those people who don't know better, and are getting hosed. We really need to get the word out. Keep up the KFP.
Quote from: FTL_Ian on March 15, 2006, 04:55 PM NHFT
Quote from: russellkanning on March 15, 2006, 04:27 PM NHFT
I don't get so worked up about spending, when it doesn't effect me. 8)
According to the other thread it does, if you are paying rent to have your mobile home on someone else's land.
I'm not getting worked up, but I feel sorry for those people who don't know better, and are getting hosed. We really need to get the word out. Keep up the KFP.
You are correct on that. ;D ;D Nice post I glad to see that someone is paying attention here.
I'm growing sick of seeing the word "cares" used as a guilt tool, or as a synonym for spending.
I care about my children's education, which is why we teach them ourselves. I care that we continue being able to keep enough of the money we make to provide a good house and home for them. I care that they don't grow up in a world where a group of people can take their money or home just because the group decides to do so.
I don't care that you think you need more money for your favorite project. But I do care if you want to take that money from me at gunpoint.
Yeah, but do you care enough to stop paying the state?
Quote from: KBCraig on March 15, 2006, 05:37 PM NHFT
I'm growing sick of seeing the word "cares" used as a guilt tool, or as a synonym for spending.
I care about my children's education, which is why we teach them ourselves. I care that we continue being able to keep enough of the money we make to provide a good house and home for them. I care that they don't grow up in a world where a group of people can take their money or home just because the group decides to do so.
I don't care that you think you need more money for your favorite project. But I do care if you want to take that money from me at gunpoint.
Hear hear... I wanted to puke when I read that Keene Cares things....Keene Steals would be more appropriate.
Good Sign:
STOP KEENE CARES STEALS
Quote from: Lloyd Danforth on March 16, 2006, 07:52 AM NHFT
Good Sign:
STOP KEENE CARES STEALS
Very nice they do steal. Just look at those bogis parking tickets there putting on peoples cars.
Definitely giving Tracy a run for his money.
;D
People just do not get it. All the frigging money is not going to make a child learn any better.
What it takes is smart teacher's that know what there doing. These people in education thinks that money just fall's off of tree's or something. And there lacking something that they were sure not born with.
Called common sense.
Quote from: Happy Dude on March 17, 2006, 03:37 PM NHFT
These people in education thinks that money just fall's off of tree's or something.
You don't have money tree in Keene?
This Saturday is going to be fun. The budget committee cut $300k out of the school budget and the School Board is angry. The school budget has almost doubled in the past 10 years.... :o