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Municipal Tax Caps
By Laura Knoy on Thursday, May 8, 2008.
Voters in half a dozen New Hampshire cities may see a question on their November ballots asking whether they want to put a permanent lid on tax increases. Supporters say it’s the best way to keep municipal budgets lean and mean, but opponents worry these caps will derail vital community investments.
Guests
- Jody Reese, publisher of the Hippo Press
- Mike Biundo, President of the New Hampshire Advantage Coalition
We'll also hear from
- Fred Keach, city councilor in Concord, where a tax cap has been proposed
- Brian Chirichiello, town councilor in Derry, which has a municipal tax cap
- Tony Giunta, former mayor of Franklin, which has a municipal tax cap
Comments (2)
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- isn't a tax cap a form of micro managing the government by the voter, instead of choosing representatives that will make the right decision.
- also in Dover, where I live, the tax cap has slowed all city council discussion, they are so often at a deadlock, now not getting anything done because of the tax cap, so this doesn not make the budget process easier, rather more difficult and painful to watch.
- in Dover there is also a threat of lawsuit on every angle of the tax cap. The wording was not clear on the ballot and now many citizens are questioning their vote. Some have even said they would have not voted for it had they known that the county tax would be included, but if they don't include it the town could be sued.
How can we defend the tax cap if it sends a town into a tailspin of lawsuits, poor infrastructure and taking away funds from our schools (the population who does not have a vote)?
Yes i agree there is a problem with the tax's NH.
But when caps and cuts are made services are cut and left with out funding. Take the NH school bus drivers. they are funded via the same budget set for the school.
When spending is cut on schooling the first place the cats are made is the busing division. routes are cut, pay is cut, Bus drivers in NH are no longer entitled to un employment or vacation pay. As if we are un important. While teachers can strike to fight for these privileges, (because they are obviously not rights under current funding) Bus drivers are federally prohibited from striking, much like nurses.
But thats not all that is effected. take the situation in Mississippi with the bridge collapse that lead to NH finally looking at its own decrepit bridges. The money to care for those things has to come from some where.
Now I agree with some cuts being made...Like why do $200k Banquets being funded by tax payer money. That is here in this state. My Ex husband is in tech support in the state and attends four of these every year just for his department. Or why do I see road crews spraying thousands of dollars in grass seed on the sides of the road...I guarantee grass has no problem growing on its own. Some times I think there is no excuse for how this state is run...But for some reason thats all we hear.