News and Views

Question: I have a question and I do not know the legalities of it. I was wondering if you can vote to have an assessment any year or if they are on a schedule? Anyone who has their property on the market or trying to borrowing money to buy a house or a home improvement loan or equity loan has seen their property depreciate in value a huge amount over the last few months. I had my house independently appraised in July 2007. I had another appraisal done in February of this year just for curiosity, and it dropped in value 13% seven months. At that rate it will not take long for our property values to drop 25 to 30% or more. I am sure the town will not adjust our taxes accordingly. The town was just assessed and of course the values and taxes in Bow rose dramatically. If you watch the news they say we are going to have a major adjustment in property values all across the country. Actually, it has been adjusting for over a year now with no end in sight. A year from now the property values will be at less than 70% of what they were when they were assessed. Can we contract for an assessment when the economy is depressed or are we stuck with the high assessed values until the economy turns around and they need to raise the budget again?

BCC Answer: The selectmen put them on as schedule but you could get a petitioned warrant article together and get 25 people to sign it. If you do get a warrant article together make sure it states what you want with regards to assessors. Unfortunately this cost money and you may get some resistance because people do not like having their house assessed due to privacy.

Question: In reading one of the postings, it is noted that it is not illegal for town employees and teachers to vote themselves a pay raise. I don’t have a problem with reasonable pay increases for these folks that work for the town. But it does smell an awful lot like Washington DC doesn’t it? We need to take back our town from all the liberal spenders.

Based on the fact that my property taxes skyrocketed 19% last year, I can only conclude that the town now has excess funds from many folks like myself. How convenient it was to have property reassessed last year by the same firm that porked the residents of Hopkinton. The town officials should be ashamed to look a property owner in the eye and give a straight answer. Guaranteed you’ll get a political response!!!!

BCC Answer: All budget members did not vote for the increase – 2 members were on the record and voted NO to the warrant.

Question: Why does Bow have to have an SAU all of its own? Couldn’t we save a lot of money by joining a nearby SAU? Bow has to have an SAU all of its own? It only makes sense to me. This would save the taxpayers a good deal of their hard-earned dollars!!! Why hasn’t this been addressed openly at a school meeting? How much money could we truly save by joining another SAU?

BCC Answer: Yes, Bow has an SAU all of its own. Yes Bow would save lot of money by joining a nearby SAU. It makes sense to critical thinkers as well. This would save the taxpayers a good deal of their hard-earned dollars!!! This is not beening addressed openly at a school meeting because not enough taxpayers go to school board meetings and school district meetings, but hopefully that will change.

Question: Why are we teaching Chinese to 6 students? Who authorized this? How is the instructor paid? Perhaps the parents of the six students should pay for this frivolous class!!! Enough already. Let’s be realistic in our academic teachings. Based on recent figures, it appears that the junior class is roughly 50% proficient in reading, writing and arithmetic. One doesn’t have to have to have a PhD to realize there’s a problem here. Who’s accountable for these horrific scores? And the school superintendent supports this IB program. Really now. Why is it that these people holding important positions can’t see the forest through the trees. Perhaps they’re like the lead horse wearing blinders while pulling the wagon into quicksand.

BCC Answer: Chinese is being taught in the school. Presently the teacher is here from China and is paid for by a grant and is housed with a Bow family. But – if we are to continue teaching the language after the 2 year grant is up then we as taxpayers will be asked by the school board to add this position to the curriculum.