Archive for May, 2008

‘Electioneering’ within voting area

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

Question: The Town election is coming up and I am concerned that my voting rights may be violated but I am not sure. Let me explain, the last election I voted at, I overheard a conversation between one of our selectmen and a voter inside the Bow Community Center where we vote. The selectman was telling the voter to not vote for the candidate who I was going to vote for. What the selectman was doing did not sound right to me. Also this selectman’s wife was running around with a campaign button inside the polling area and I am pretty sure that is not legal as well but I don’t know what the law is. Are what the selectman and his wife did legal?

BCC Answer: What you told me is very serious and you should tell the moderator as soon as you witnessed it. The law that you saw violated are RSA 659:43 & 659:44. If the moderator fails to take action you should tell the other selectmen and they should take action. Your last recourse would be to call the attorney general. A selectman should know better and not break the public trust in this way. You should not feel bad if you report this behavior.

Where is the rationale for a 45.2% increase?

Sunday, May 4th, 2008

Question: In the up coming elections in Bow on May 13th the residents/voters need to keep in mind that the proposed municipal budget is up 8% over last years budget which is actually closer to 13% when you figure in all the separate Warrant Articles that should truly be part of the proposed budget. The Selectmen vote was 3-2 and the Budget Committee vote was 4-3 on this proposed budget.

You should also keep in mind that the current School Board and School District Administration displayed their continued arrogance by their attempt to implement the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) into Bow High School under the radar screen of residents and parents at great expense to the taxpayers along with their 6% plus budget increase that included adding 11 additional school staff. Since 2002-03 school staff has increased by 49 (+17%) while student enrollment has declined by 162 (-9%) students while the budgets have increased by $7.7 million (+45.2%). Where is the rationale for this?

We desperately need to elect good outstanding people with leadership abilities that possess “common sense”, people that believe in America and possess the ability to be able to differentiate between the wants and needs of the Town and the School District in these tough economic times ahead just as all of us have to do in our own homes and businesses.

We need candidates that will start looking at creative ways to reduce the cost of doing business for the Town and School District instead of just throwing taxpayer’s money at it annually in order to stabilize and/or reduce our annual tax burden. Everyone associated with the budget process and those responsible for spending our money need to be more involved and creative in this process and look at how we can do things better and for less money.

My taxes increased 25.1% last year alone (+51.2% since 2002) and look to increase substantially again this year if everything passes at Town Meeting so please join me on May 13th in supporting Robert Louf for Selectman, incumbent Peter Cheney, and candidate Brad Hutton for Budget Committee, and candidates Van Mosher and Marc Brunelle for School Board. Thank you.

Rick Hiland
Bow NH

BCC Answer: Mr. Hiland is a Bow Budget Committee Member and the BCC doesn’t feel that it can’t add anything to Mr. Hiland’s question.

Bow Schools Staff Count as of February 6, 2008