Hampton voters PISSED OFF at selectmen.

[Michael Fisher]

Hampton officials threatened over budget cuts
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050401/NEWS07/50401057

HAMPTON ? Police are investigating three incidents of ?wrongdoing? aimed at three elected officials that have occurred since the March Town Meeting.

The first two incidents took place shortly after the elections, when quantities of nails were found thrown in the driveways of Selectman Rick Griffin and Budget Committee Chairperson Mary Loise Woolsey, according to Hampton Police Chief William Wrenn.

The third incident took place on Wednesday, March 30, when a note was found attached to a barn on Selectman Cliff Pratt?s property.

?The note threatens the lack of a response to Selectman Pratt?s property if his barn should burn,? Wrenn said. ?It is believed that these crimes have occurred to intimidate or retaliate against those officials because of their positions on various issues facing the town.?

After voters at Town Meeting rejected the proposed 2005-2006 operating budget, selectmen made $2.8 million in cuts to establish a default operating budget, according to the Portsmouth Herald. Among the cuts the selectmen approved was layoffs for four firefighters, including one deputy fire chief.

Wrenn said police are ?taking extra measures to provide security for the properties of those officials who have been victimized or who may be targeted in the future.

Wrenn said he?s asking for help from members of the public to provide any information they may have that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the incidents.

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Interesting.  Someone is using the threat of force against those who use the threat of force to govern the people of Hampton.

It would be hilarious if someone left a note on Schultz' doorstep threatening to fine him $185,000 for "zoning violations".

[Kat Kanning]

Well, there's no chance it'd be one of us...complaining about budget *cuts*??!

[Kat Kanning]

LOL @ them being hassled from both sides!

[Dave Ridley]

Well if nothing else this provides a favorable contrast between us and the city's lower-level government employees.  Imagine them using this kind of intimidation against government officials simply because those officials aren't planning to give them as much stolen money as they gave them last year!

[tracysaboe]

Sounds like these are my kind of select-men quite frankly. They should be cutting government.

Now, instead of simply cutting budgets, they could perhaps privatise the fire dept, and allou free market competition and let people choose for themselves which fire protection company they want to subscribe to. And then the government wouldn't even need to worry about it. (of course, lower taxes by at least that much if not more.

Tracy

[Kat Kanning]

Well if Hampton selectmen are going to cut taxes, maybe we should be out there protecting them from outraged socialists.  Sounds like a good job for volunteer militia.

[CNHT]

Wow -- sounds like something right out of the Bedford play book! Except in Bedford the police refuse to prosecute anyone who is harrassing the ones (us) advocating for cuts or not advocating for spending. Here it at least looks like they want to find these folks and make an example out of them.

[Kat Kanning]

They had a hearing on a bill today to change that 'no means no' law into a 'no means maybe' law.  Dada and Russell testified against it.

[Russell Kanning]

The Senate bill says that no means no except for public safety...

Good testimony from Senator about how it would destroy the whole warrant process

...not sure how they are going to vote on it in the House committee

[Kat Kanning]

http://generalcourt.org/bills/2005/SB176