Co?s County taxes increasing 22%

[KBCraig]

This sounds out of control. 

From the Berlin Daily Sun, 3/13/2006 (no online archives):

Delegation approves $26 million Co?s budget

Barbara Tetreault

WEST STEWARTSTOWN? The Co?s County delegation on Saturday approved a $26.2 million budget that will result in a 14 percent increase in the amount to be raised through county taxes.

The budget actually increased by only 4 percent, but the amount to be raised by taxes is up 14 percent because the delegation decided last year to cut county taxes by using some late Medicaid reimbursements. Without those additional reimbursements this year, the county tax amount made a 22 percent swing - from an 8 percent decrease in 2005 to a 14 percent increase in 2006.

County Administrator Suzanne Collins began Saturday?s meeting reporting on changes to the budget since the December budget hearing.

The final surplus from the 2005 budget to reduce the 2006 taxes was $1.75 million; an increase of $559,000 from the proposed budget.

Appropriations increased by about $300,000.

Of the $300,000 increase, the biggest individual appropriation was due to a $100,000 federal grant the sheriff?s department received from Homeland Security.

Health insurance premium costs went up $85,000 for the six-month period starting July 1, 2006. But Collins had good news, reporting that the county saved $176,200 by switching health insurance providers from HealthTrust to Primex.

?The rates are much better,? she said.

The corrections department reported a savings of $37,500 from eliminating a sergeant?s position.

The county is appropriating $20,000 to help with the cost of opening elderly day-care centers in the Whitefield and Colebrook areas. The county commission asked Tri-County Community Action Program, which operates an Alzheimer?s Respite Center in Berlin, to help get similar centers established in other areas of the county.

On the revenue side, Collins reported an increase of $98,200 in Medicaid reimbursements at the West Stewartstown nursing hospital. This is based on projections its census will be up by two residents. Collins said the facility, which has suffered in recent years from a low census, is seeing that change.

The Berlin nursing home revenues are up $141,100 due to one additional resident and a 4 percent increase in its Medicaid reimbursement rate.

The delegation made only minor changes in the budget Saturday.

Representative Herb Richardson, (R-Lancaster), moved to cut $12,000 from the corrections department budget for inmate meals. That cut was in addition to $12,000 made to the proposed budget at the recommendation of the criminal justice
subcommittee. The subcommittee said the reduction was in line with inmate population projections.

Rep. Robert Theberge, (D-Berlin), called Richardson?s motion a nice gesture, but he said it wasn?t very meaningful since it would also remove $12,000 in revenues to the nursing hospital, which prepares meals for the entire complex.

Collins agreed that the reduction would not change the amount to be raised by taxes. The delegation approved the $12,000 cut with Theberge casting the sole dissenting vote.

Richardson also moved to cut $2,000 from the line item for delegation expenses, from $7,000 to $5,000. Again, Theberge suggested the cut was mainly symbolic. Rep. Fred King noted that historically the delegation spends about $5,000 a year. However, he suggested the delegation might want to keep the larger figure, which would allow it to hold a special session to look at changes taking place in the unincorporated places.

Noting the closing of Groveton Paper Board and the announced closing of the Berlin pulp mill, Richardson said residents are hurting. He pointed to the $1.7 million 2005 surplus and said there must be places to cut the budget. He said the delegation should set an example by cutting its own appropriation.

?This is our budget,? he said.

The delegation voted 6-4 to approve Richardson?s motion to reduce the delegation expense line item from $7,000 to $5,000.

The other change made by the delegation was to approve a $500,000 appropriation for a Community Development Block Grant. King noted it is extremely likely the county will be approached to seek a CDBG as economic development officials look at ways to revitalize the region?s economy. By authorizing the expenditure, he said the county commission could approve an application without having to call a delegation meeting. There is no cost to the county since the grant would come in as revenue. The county turns over CDBG grants to the Coos Economic Development Corporation to loan out for economic development projects.

In other business:
* King said he would like to see the delegation hold a retreat to discuss changes taking place in the unincorporated places. He said changing land ownership patterns make the future potential of the timberlands more valuable then before. He noted there are rumors of a 52-lot subdivision that is being planned for one unincorporated place. He said the county needs to take a look at how it manages the unincorporated places.
*John Scarinza, of Randolph, was appointed to an open position on the Coos planning board. Chris Hold, of Dummer, and Michael Fortier, of Milan, were appointed to serve as alternates on the board.
* At its next quarterly meeting, the delegation will vote on the salaries for the county?s elected positions for 2007-08. The salaries must be set before the filing period opens in June. Before then a subcommittee will meet with elected officials and compile recommendations for the delegation.

[aries]

This will not end well. Coos is a depressed area. There are no high paying professional jobs here, most people work as teachers, waitresses, accountants, at the mills (well.. used to), etc.

I know several people, just in town, who don't pay their taxes because they can barely afford to fart, not to mention pay the government for the "privilege" of property ownership.

Call me crazy but I still want to live here after college. And I don't want to pay for the right to do so through taxes. The only tax I will grudgingly pay, as long as I am not self employed, is the federal income tax.

[Dreepa]

they can barely afford to fart

How much does it cost to fart in Coos?

[Pat K]

they can barely afford to fart

How much does it cost to fart in Coos?

Well it looks like it is going to cost more than it used too.

[KBCraig]

With the mills closing, people might pay you to fart so things will smell normal again.

[TackleTheWorld]

LOL!
My husband could get a job in Mill Vapor Reestablishment 

[aries]

they can barely afford to fart

How much does it cost to fart in Coos?

The tax on that is currently quite low, in the region of 1.5 cents per gallon of gas, with an additional tax of 2 cents per occurrence.

Unfortunately, the number of tax dodgers is insane, and there is a huge problem with "SBDs" in public places, as people try to conceal their identity when passing gas.

[CNHT]

This sounds out of control. 

From the Berlin Daily Sun, 3/13/2006 (no online archives):

Delegation approves $26 million Co?s budget

In Merrimack, spending increased by 61.3% in 5 years...in Bedford, 65%.
The ONLY way to stop this is to GET INVOLVED in your town ? by either running for office or at least attending meetings and deliberative sessions and voting.
This is where they take your money!

[Kat Kanning]

The ONLY way to stop this is to GET INVOLVED in your town ? by either running for office or at least attending meetings and deliberative sessions and voting.

I disagree.  You could run a paper and expose the thieves.  You could stop paying.

[CNHT]

The ONLY way to stop this is to GET INVOLVED in your town ? by either running for office or at least attending meetings and deliberative sessions and voting.

I disagree.  You could run a paper and expose the thieves.  You could stop paying.

Well sure, if you want to stop paying and chance losing your home, but if you don't want to rent from someone else all your life, this could be a constant merry-go-round. When you rent you are indirectly contributing to the high taxes as well. So the only way to stop it is to elect people who will CUT government and CUT taxes at the root level, for everyone. For what is freedom if you can't own a home without worrying that it's going to be taken by the town? Real freedom would be to agree to pay for only what you use...and let others pay for things they want. Exposing is good too, but that's not going to stop the culprits since they could give a hang what we think...

For example I don't mind paying for road maintenance right now until that could be privatized, because I do use the roads...but the schools are what take the most of my money, about $5,000 per year from my total tax bill. The municipal tax is a pittance compared to that, perhaps around $800?

I think it takes a combination of things to make it work: Exposure, infiltration, and action at the root.

[Kat Kanning]

I was disputing just the "The ONLY way to stop this" part.

[CNHT]

I was disputing just the "The ONLY way to stop this" part.

Yeah I know what you meant...I just don't think talking about it only, which we do all the time, is going to make the culprits stop. You gotta get rid of the culprits who are in charge.
Since we can't hang 'em in the town square, (LOL) we have to vote them out with our own people and put them in charge instead.

Keith Murphy did this but quit because he faced so much animosity after cutting the budget by 10%. So you have to have the stomach for it, to not cave in.
If we had more people to do that, just think what a great town it would be, and how many like-minded folks we could attract if it had LOW and fair taxes, and people who weren't looking to spend spend spend..at every turn? Bedford used to be like this. But even people with money are greedy and want this or that. It's part of the culture of how these boomers were brought up I guess. Gimme gimme gimme.

[Dreepa]

Yeah I know what you meant...I just don't think talking about it only, which we do all the time,

I would hardly put you and Kat as 'talkers' only.  Doers yes.

[CNHT]

Yeah I know what you meant...I just don't think talking about it only, which we do all the time,

I would hardly put you and Kat as 'talkers' only.  Doers yes.

I meant 'we' as in CNHT...we certainly try to do it all ? publicity and action alike from within and without.

[Fluff and Stuff]

Well sure, if you want to stop paying and chance losing your home, but if you don't want to rent from someone else all your life, this could be a constant merry-go-round.

Since Kat currently rents, I don't think that arguement will work against her.