SB2: March 2009 Archives

Editor: The Meredith News  March 19, 2009

The town of Moultonboro has once again voted down,SB2; it was news that saddened me to read for I am a supporter of SB2, but the voters have spoken and that is what voting is all about. I am sure that the Fear Mongers and the Special Interests Groups are having a good laugh at all of the hard working taxpayers whose money they so freely and foolishly spend. The fearmongers and the naysayers would have you believe that SB2 will destroy the town, that the sky will fall, and our children will graduate school as blathering idiots if they graduate at all. What a bunch of hogwash. If SB2 was so bad, why have so many towns already adopted it? Their towns haven't been destroyed, and their school districts seem to be doing just fine! It also bothers me that a majority of the voting residence of Moultonboro are so bent in keeping their archaic ways that they are willing to deny every voting taxpayer the right to say how their tax dollars are spent "unless" you can make it to Town Meeting. These same people would apparently rather have a taxpaying resident lose a day's income or spend hundreds of dollars to travel back home from their winter escape from the cold, or lose a precious day of time with their children and family. Yes, I agree that sometimes sacrifices must be made, but these are totally unnecessary sacrifices. We have the means before us to allow all voters the right to have their say in how our tax dollars are spent. SB2 is that means. It is the modern equivalent to the antiquated town meeting. What a sad message we are saying to our brave young men and women that are away serving in the military. Go put you life on the line, fight for our country, but God forbid you should have the right or ability to say how your hometown spends its tax dollars. The same message is being sent to all of the disenfranchised voters in town, just give us your money and if you can't make it to town meeting because you are housebound, sick, or working, or out of town, well, that's just too bad! We would rather keep our antiquated ways then change with the times and allow you your God-given right. For the first time in my 30 years of being a resident of Moultonboro I am ashamed of my town, I am embarrassed to say I live in a wonderful town, but unfortunately it is a town that doesn't care about the rights of all it taxpayers. I will be at town meeting this year because I will not be denied my right to say how my hardearned tax dollars are spent, despite having to lose a day’s valuable income.

Mark E. Lamprey

The Meredith News March 19, 2009

Editorial

At almost every town meeting we covered this year, there were debates about whether town employees and/ortown officials should get raises. The results were mixed.In Tilton, an amendment to cut the 3.5-percent raises allocated to all town employees – a total of more than $14,000 – was voted down. An amendment in Moultonboro that would have nixed 2.5-percent raises, plus step increases, for town employees was defeated. On the flip side, two towns’ residents voted down raises of much smaller doses. In Northfield, the only article that didn’t pass would have given a $300 raise to each of the town's selectmen. Residents cited concerns with the economy and mentioned that few people they knew were getting or expecting raises at this time. In Sandwich, there was an amendment to tack on an additional 1.5 percent to the 1.5 percent salary increases recommended by the selectmen for town employees. After much debate, the amendment was voted down, with the majority agreeing that now is not the time to be giving excessive raises. Residents took the middle road, and town employees got the recommended 1.5 percent. We agree with the residents of Northfield and Sandwich, though we particularly like Sandwich’s approach. No, it’s not the time for the typical 3-percent raise, because times aren’t typical, and Sandwich selectmen and residents agreed with that. However, the townspeople felt obligated to give their employees some sort of monetary recognition and so compromised by meeting them halfway. We have to wonder if the Tilton and Moultonboro votes would have gone the same way if they were done by secret ballot. If we lived in all these towns and could have voted, we sure would have wanted to say “nay” to any and all raises, not because the employees don’t deserve it, but because desperate times call for desperate measures. The argument that these towns risk losing valuable employees is null and void this year, we think, because no one in their right mind is going to quit a good job in this economy. However, would we have wanted to stand up among our neighbors and the people who work for us to say that? Probably not. Taking away money from neighbors or perhaps even friends is not the PC thing to do. So it comes down to,would you rather save $14,000 or save face? A ballot vote could have done both.

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Editor: The Citizen  March 18, 2009

On Saturday afternoon shortly before 3:30 p.m., 194 of the approximately 4,000 registered voters in Moultonborough (less than 5%) cast their vote on the $8,249,747.00 town operating budget. Such apathy is inexcusable. Those voters who were UNABLE to attend (work, health, travel,etc.) have my understanding. Those who CHOSE not to attend have no right to complain about EXCESSIVE SPENDING in these economic times.

Would I have preferred to be doing something else on a beautiful Saturday? - ABSOLUTELY! Sometimes you just have to do the right thing.

Penny Morrison

Moultonborough

To the editor, Laconia Daily Sun March 17, 2009

We just came back from the Moultonborough Town Meeting. It was a joke. The selectman are still

snaking all the ball field at the Lions Club, which they should hold off on. The economy is falling apart

and people are hurting. Ball fields are NOT needed at this time. What are the selectmen thinking?

Now they say the Town Hall needs a new roof because the roofer who put it on did not do a good job and it isleaking. So why not take the money you want to use for the ball fields and use that for the Town Hall roof? Now that makes more sense. The ball field proposal is a joke. Where is the reason for this? Don’t you think the roof is the towns first concern and NOT the ball fields. Next you will be telling us the safety building needs a roof and the library. Where does it end? Our hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted. The selectman snake anything and everything they want. Our votes do not mean much. This is another reason why SB-2 should have gone through. We need to take the power back to the taxpayers, not the special interest. They know who they are. Someone needs to tell

them we are in a bad state of the economy.

Anna DeRose, Moultonborough

Library closing for town meeting

Editor, The Citizen: March 12^th, 2009

Gentlemen, I see that the selectmen have closed the library this Saturday so the employees may attend town meeting. I had intended to go to meeting too but must work and so my right to vote on matters that affect me is denied. I have been disenfranchised. I went to the town office to talk to someone from the selectmen's office, no one was in. I did talk with the town administrator, he suggested I take a "personal" day off from my job at Aubuchon Hardware. He must not have worked in the private sector for some time as one does not just do that. I tried to find someone to trade days with, no luck. There are only four of us working that day so if I just didn't go to work they would be put in a bad bind and I wouldn't get paid.

I find it insulting that you would give the good folks at the library a chance to vote when the working stiffs in town don't get that opportunity (those of us not working for the town make on average $200 a week less than public employees by the way, I got that from the Moultonboro.gov site). A cynical person might surmise that town workers are free to over represent themselves at meeting while those working to pay their salaries lose our chance to have our voices counted.

Finally I would like to know if the person or persons who mounted a phone campaign telling residents that out of state property owners would have voting privileges should SB2 pass when that is not the case can be investigated for knowingly lying to affect the outcome of Tuesday's election. At least one of the callers might have an official connection to the town. I feel that that person or persons did a dishonorable thing and should at least issue a public apology.

Would like to say "see you Saturday" but I am not allowed to vote.

Michael Brooker
Moultonborough

To the editor,

The Citizen March 9, 2009

The prescription plan for solving grotesque spending is to implement SB-2. We have enjoyed tremendous increases in Meredith’s debt and tax increases due to the ability of a flamboyant School Board and Board of Selectmen to manipulate the budget and Town Meetings. The “Barbarians” are truly at the gate when local government can continue year-after-year to provide less information on reasons for increasing our taxes without providing us with the ability to thwart their quintessential increases in budgets. Leadership fails to respond to a public that is not apathetic, but worn out by worry and over work. The School Board and Selectboard, with their enormous egos, have been hugely successful at gathering forces at town meetings to pass whatever they want. They assume we are the richest people in the state. Some folks live from hand to mouth to make their daily commitments and salary go further. We face rising taxes, inflation , job losses, reductions in retirement plans and reduced income. Personal serenity and security is something of the past. School boards fail to respond to the shocking increases in budgets. They show a manifold dereliction of their duties when they manufacture and manipulate Town Meetings. These boards have virtually unlimited power and no ethics and this situation requires voting reform. Advantages of SB-2: We must launch an effort to shut

down the spending and initiate a process of getting more people involved in the budget approval process and to the voting both. This effort can be achieved by approval of Senate Bill -2 (SB-2) which gives those that are unable to be present for Town Meeting a chance to vote by absentee ballot and the ability for those that are present in the community to vote by secret ballot in the privacy of a regular voting booth during a time of personal convenience. SB-2 permits voters to vote conveniently during regular voting hours during the day.The movers and shakers continue to dominate the budget process with stunts like voting on the big budget cost items at Town Meetings last, at 11 p.m.. Hours are spent on a list of items with smaller significance and at 11 p.m. the major budget of over $10-million comes up for discussion without much opportunity to discuss the line items. Last year an hour was spent on a presentation regarding the fire department and another hour on Long Pond.. There was no presentation on the enormous budget. No PowerPoint graphs and charts were presented as information by either the School Board or the Selectboard. There were no graphs or charts demonstrating performance on state standardized tests, SAT test scores or how we stacked up against other school districts, or a willingness to elaborate on how we spend so much money per student for average results. No voter had the opportunity to ask why we have such a blotted educational administration. For instance, why do we need an assistant superintendent of schools for such a small school district with declining enrollments. No one asked why we need a dormitory and apartments in the fire station renovation project. We need a return of public freedom fighters who want to take our liberties back and allow us to challenge the status quo and a militant political active teachers’ union. We need to vote YES for SB-2, which will give the voter the opportunity to vote in a voting booth and permit the use of the absentee ballot so we can engage in debate. Are you ready to join in the process of taking back our government. Advance freedom and vote YES for SB-2 providing all registered voters the opportunity to vote in a voting booth.

VOTE YES FOR SB-2!

Richard Gunnar Juve

Meredith

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Moultonboro Citizens Alliance

 Editorial March 7, 2009

In recent days, Inter-Lakes School district and Shaker Regional School district had their traditional annual meetings. Between the two districts, close to $40million dollars in budgets were on the table as well as some important petitioned articles. Both school districts operate under the old traditional annual meeting format: you have to be there to vote. At Inter-lakes only 118 voters decided all the issues for the 7000 or so registered voters. At Shaker it was 234 deciding for about 6000.

Annual town and school district meetings are traditionally poorly attended. There is a higher percentage of the registered voters at town meeting than at the SB2 deliberative session, but the reason for that is because it is the only time people get to vote. Rapid decisions after often emotional debates with little time to think through the issues. Not so with SB2. The deliberative session offers a month or more of reading, asking questions and being better informed on the issues. Then at the voting session every registered voter can vote, even by absentee ballot in the privacy of the voting booth. The proof of SB2’s success is the much high voter turnout on ballot day. Here in Moultonboro, 33% voted in the last municipal election vs. just 11% (down to 4% at the end) at town meeting a few days later. In many SB2 towns, that percentage is even higher.

Contrary to what some believe, the rules for the deliberative town meeting do not vary from traditional town meeting. They are identical. The moderator follows exactly the same procedures. The debates continue exactly the same way. Secret ballots can still be requested. Reconsideration can be restricted. Amendments are voted on in exactly the same way. We still have town meeting. The only change is who, when and how you vote.

The ability for all voters to vote on all issues in private cannot and should not be underestimated. School meetings are notorious for packing the bleachers with staff, many of whom are not registered voters to be cheerleaders and promote the intimidation factor that is so prevalent at these sessions.  With SB2, that is mitigated (although that can still occur at the deliberative town meeting) with the ballot box. SB2 ends voter disenfranchisement.  You no longer have to physically attend an annual meeting for your vote to count.

SB2 towns have much better informed voters. They have the enormous benefit of time that you don’t have with traditional town meeting.  All the information voters need to make decisions can be made available in local newspapers and the internet. You can ask questions of town and school officials. SB2 gives you the opportunity to sit and discuss an issue with a selectmen or school board member.  

I looked at the ballots /warrants this year in some SB2 towns as most now post them on their town’s websites. The average # of pages is less than four. In places that have both town and school under SB2 it is about six. Remember though that these ballots also include the elections for various offices in both town and school district which are also present on non-SB2 ballots. Not so onerous considering that you will have a month or more to read and decide.

Moultonboro Citizens Alliance 

To the Editor: Meredith News March 05, 2009

The Moultonboro Citizens Alliance received an e-mail that mentioned a relative who lives in Wolfeboro (an SB2 town) and that relative formerly attended all meetings. Now elderly with low vision, etc ”she votes absentee" and says "she and her husband watch meetings on TV and read to keep up on issues. They take their time marking (the) ballot and if they need to can do more research. I feel many of the older people are probably more informed than those that still out to vote.They also have the benefit of history and understand long term effects." However, if that Wolfeboro voter and her husband lived in Moultonboro, they would not be able to vote at the town meeting because of the length of the meeting and other age related problems. We hear about low turnouts at SB2 deliberative sessions, attending the deliberative session is not a prerequisite of casting an informed ballot. I attended the Wolfeboro deliberative session, on Feb. 3, as an interested observer. Two Hundred and twelve attendees voted on an amendment to a warrant article - who said that voters will not turn out for a deliberative session? There were two camera's broadcasting the proceedings live to the citizens of Wolfeboro and later it was to be broadcast on cable TV. On March 10, vote yes on SB2, Article 2, on both the school and the town ballots. Polls are open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. One more point, Wolfeboro makes it easy for their citizens to be better informed by broadcasting public meetings. I believe that Moultonboro can also. There is an article on the School Warrant,Article 7 which will provide an educational opportunity for students by developing a program to broadcast public meetings, athletic events etc and show them on cable TV. On March 14, I hope you will vote yes on Article 7 of the School Town Meeting.

Jim Leiterman

To the Editor: Meredith News March 05, 2009

I will vote in favor of SB2 for at least three reasons:

1. As the editorial of Feb. 19 indicates, SB2 allows for a more informed voter.

2.Only three towns out of 63 and no school districts out of 73 who have approved the

SB2 form of voting have gone back to the Town Meeting format.

3. On a very personal level - I had to make the choice not to travel out of state to see a personal friend receive an award. In an SB2 town the absentee ballot would have given me the opportunity to do my civic duty and honor my friend.

Jim Morrison

Editor, The Citizen March 03, 2009

 Its time for SB 2 in Moultonborough!

As a retiree living on a fixed income and watching the money I planned to live on reduced by nearly 40% over the past year, and knowing that most retirees, who make up a large percentage of the town's population, are in the same situation, it makes no sense to me that 3 members of the Board of Selectmen would recommend that residents approve to raise $137,500.00 from taxation for ball field construction on the Lion's Club property.

With the economy reeling you would think that our elected officials would choose to support "needs" over "wishes", but a small group of special interest folks are trying to backdoor the recreation issue once again, and have succeeded in getting 3 of our "spend happy" Selectmen to back them.

What will happen at Town Meeting is this group will show up in force to attempt to sway the passage of Article 16. The people who are against it (probably the majority of residents) might not attend for whatever reason. It's been my experience that people who want something will attend and voice their support, and those against, even if they're the majority will not mainly due to fear of intimidation and confrontation. This is the exact reason SB 2 was created. It would give all of our residents a forum to voice their opinions in the "safety" of a voting booth and send a message to the current "spend happy" board!

Bob Patenaude
Moultonborough

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To the Editor:

The Meredith News February 26, 2009

Once again, reading the daily papers, I find the anti SB2 people writing about the “uninformed voter,” that “treacherous Default Budget,” and the “small number of people who could possibly change the meaning of or eliminate a warrant article.” Like there was never an uninformed voter at the auction-like town meeting… like default budgets were unheard of from town meetings… and (here is the real laugh-out-loud funny one) like there never was a small group of people with special interests or mercenary motivation who took control of town meeting... duh! For those of you who are on the fence about SB2, these arguments are all emotional efforts to scare the public into staying with the centuries old, out dated, powerfully manipulated and limiting way to vote the use of your tax dollar. SB2 is not about slashing budgets, eliminating services and killing school systems. It is about the freedom of the vote.....