Good LTE

[Kat Kanning]

Taxes driving people out
   

To The Sentinel:

This year the city came to pick up leaves while the trees in our area ? planted by the city 40 years ago ? had barely begun to drop their leaves.

With the help of one of our sons, he and my husband raked and bagged two loads of leaves and took them to the dump in a pick-up.

And the leaves kept falling.


      


Since my husband and I are in our 80s, we now have to hire someone to take what?s left of the leaves away ? to the tune of $120.

That, on top of the horrendous taxes in Keene.

Are you all so eager to get rid of the ?old folks?? And what do we really get for our taxes? New roundabouts? sidewalks? The Taj Mahal on Marlboro Street?

We haven?t had a child in the school system in 50 years, so please don?t mention the wonderful school system.

I believe the city fathers are telling the ?old timers? to sell out. Someone young and foolish will come along and buy the property and will gladly pay the taxes, right?

My husband and I did everything right. We worked all our lives and saved for our old age to live worry free. But guess what?

The money we so diligently saved and invested now all goes to the city of Keene.

To tell you the truth, I?d rather travel.

BRIGITTE GRAVES

[Michael Fisher]

That is a beautiful letter.   

[John]

 

Do the young people not see what these polititions will do to "for" them next?   

The ones who need to be forced out are the bastards (and bithes) who treat people this way.

And these polititions try to feed others guilt about greed?  Who the F--- are the ones trying to take what does not belong to them?  Talk about greed!

Is it ever cold enough that a politition keeps his/her hands in his own pockets?

[Russell Kanning]

I should contact this woman and similar and begin chronicling the 10% each year reduction campaign.

[Michael Fisher]

I should contact this woman and similar and begin chronicling the 10% each year reduction campaign.

What campaign?

[Russell Kanning]

It is just beginning. The 10% reduction a year was Lloyd's idea. Since people are clammering for change, it is time to start it.
Maybe it should begin with a reduction in pay for the parks guy Brian.

[Michael Fisher]

Public servants shouldn't be paid AT ALL.

Otherwise, the public is serving them.

[Russell Kanning]

Sent to my new friends at the fire police and parks depts.:

Did any of you happen to see this letter to the editor?

--------------------------------------------
To The Sentinel:
...... And what do we really get for our taxes? New roundabouts? sidewalks? The Taj Mahal on Marlboro Street?.....

The money we so diligently saved and invested now all goes to the city of Keene........

BRIGITTE GRAVES
---------------------------------------------

I believe there are many people who feel the same way that Mrs. Graves does. We need to make our property taxes livable for everyone in Keene. So the Keene Free Press is demanding a 10% reduction in taxes each and every year until these residents are satisfied.
How can you drop the spending in your departments to facilitate this need?

--
Russell Kanning
Keene Free Press

[Kat Kanning]

See now, I thought this was el presidente's alter ego.

[KBCraig]

... how bad do you have to be to get -32 karma in only 8 posts???

[president]

See now, I thought this was el presidente's alter ego.

Think again.

[Russell Kanning]

You are right .... I am going to easy on the government. The question I will ask people is do they want paying property taxes to be voluntary or do they just want to deduct 10% off their bill each year.
I also think that some older folks will want to not pay anything towards the schools.

[Kat Kanning]

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

School taxes threaten Hinsdale
   

To The Sentinel:

What a surprise, the $13.5 million that Hinsdale taxpayers agreed to give to the Hinsdale schools was not enough.

They only need a measly $600,000 more due to increases in costs of materials. Loren Belida, representing the building company, has recommended downsizing the project to save some money and make it fall within the budget again. Among other things, she has suggested eliminating the multi-purpose room from the project.

It was also suggested that if Hinsdale waits until spring to start the project, prices on building materials should stabilize and prices for the labor should drop as well. One thing is certain: We cannot afford as a town to add one more cent to this expensive project. To do so will only cause more ?For Sale? signs to sprout up in Hinsdale.


      


For many, the $13.5 million passed in March was too much for them to pay. Roughly 80 percent of the tax bill is the school tax, and it continues to soar, year after year, with no relief in sight. Families simply cannot afford to keep paying more and more as if their wallets were bottomless. Families thinking of relocating here will be put off by the high taxes as well, and we?ll be on our way to becoming a ghost town.

This year more than ever, people will be struggling to pay for heating oil and gasoline. I realize we want to make Hinsdale ?an excellent place for children to go to school,? as Principal John Hartnett said. However, we must remember that if we tax people out of their homes, there will be no children left to attend this ?excellent? school.

S. S. GOLDEN

458 Plain Road

Hinsdale

[Russell Kanning]

And I bet the Hinsdale school is not growing either.

[Kat Kanning]

School costs are unfair
   

To The Sentinel:

At the Monday, Dec. 19 Fall Mountain School Board meeting, I resigned my position as school board member. The text of my letter of resignation follows:

Dr. Charles Shaw, Chairman

Fall Mountain School Board


      


December 19, 2005

Dear Dr. Shaw:

The purpose of this letter is to submit my resignation from the Fall Mountain School Board, effective at the conclusion of this meeting. I am resigning because I believe the Fall Mountain School District is in serious budgetary difficulty, and the school board is not addressing the problem.

The school is continuing to expand its budgets at an unsustainable rate. This year, for example, the budget is increasing 4 percent. Meanwhile, state aid is not increasing at all this next budget year.

Historically, the board?s budgets have been increasing at an amount more than double the CPI index (inflation). This rate of increase means our budget will double-as will taxes-in the next eight to 10 years. All of this is happening at a time when student enrollment is in decline.

These facts are even more dire when one considers that the state Legislature has capped the growth of state aid by the CPI index. This means, with each year the Fall Mountain School Board?s budget increases at a rate exceeding that of state aid, to that extent, Fall Mountain?s towns assume more of the burden of paying for education, and the state pays relatively less.

Still further, this year the teacher-school board contract will be a part of the warrant. If approved by voters it will add at least 16 percent to the budget, or $1.9 million dollars. How will we pay for that? There is no money set aside for this cost. Even if voters do not approve the contract this year, there will be an approved contract in the near future. Again, how will we pay for it? This issue is even more significant when one considers that we are also in negotiation with the support staff. Approval of that contract will make this problem still bigger. Again, where will the money come from?

Realizing these contracts must be funded, it seems to me, the Fall Mountain board should be preparing for these major expenditures by reducing current outlays so there will be more resources available when needed. Is the school board so doing? No, it is in fact doing the opposite. The board continues to behave as if there were nothing to worry about.

This year, it is recommending that voters approve a new full-day kindergarten, an additional $195,000. It is also moving to repair the track and football field at a cost of approximately $100,000. All of this in addition to the 4 percent increase in our budget. Add to these items the continuing increases to fuel costs and health insurance premiums, and it is evident we are in crisis.

I believe the school board should be reducing costs in preparation for these upcoming expenses, and it should be reducing its costs to retain the balance between state aid and local expenditures. To continue operating as if there is no problem is irresponsible in the extreme.

All I can do is express my concern and offer my resignation in an effort to bring attention to this very important problem.

I have enjoyed working on the board, and I wish everyone the best ? especially the taxpayers who will continue to suffer if this problem is not meaningfully addressed.

JOHN E. MURRAY, ED. D.

76 Main St.

P.O. Box 1262

Charlestown