On Air News Read for February 25, 2016

Looks like property taxes are going to rise sharply in the Timberlane Regional School District as attempts to reduce the school budget were beaten back at the deliberative session.  The most substantive cut was proposed by Danville Selectman Dr. Kim Farah.  She moved to reduce the budget to an even sixty nine million dollars, a reduction of just under three hundred thirty four thousand dollars.  In response to the proposal, Superintendent Earl Metzler threatened to eliminate six teachers.  When questioned why he would eliminate teaching staff when the district is so top heavy with administration by Danville resident Carsten Springer, Metzler had no answer.  Keep in mind, this is a district that’s had significant seven figure surpluses at the end of the last several budget years.

So, the budget approved at the deliberative session will cause the school portion of the tax to rise by almost twelve percent in Sandown, to twenty one dollars and fourteen cents per thousand, more than six and one half percent in Danville, to twenty three fifty eight, almost eight percent in Atkinson to fourteen ninety three and just over five percent in Plaistow to seventeen eleven.

According to Timberlane Regional School Board Member Donna Green, the budgeted cost per student for the sixteen – seventeen school year will be a whopping nineteen thousand six hundred dollars for every kid from pre-K to twelfth grade.  Don’t expect any relief from the default budget, either she says.  It’s actually higher than the one approved at the deliberative session which increases spending by three percent despite past and projected surpluses.

We’ve linked to Green’s article with all the costly details.  I’m thinking that this is going to be very helpful to those in Sandown who’ve placed yet another Citizen’s Petition Warrant Article to study withdrawing from the district on the ballot.

In recognition of Sunshine Week, a national initiative to promote open government, the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications and New England First Amendment Coalition will present a discussion concerning the key to open government in New Hampshire — the state Right to Know Law.

The panel discussion: “The Right to Know in New Hampshire: Where are we, where are we going?” will be held at the Loeb School in Manchester at 7 p.m. on March 15.

Panelists include:

• William L. Chapman, attorney and Board member, New England First Amendment Coalition;

•  Lisa M. English, Senior Assistant N H Attorney General;

• Rick Gagliuso, attorney and Board member, New England First Amendment Coalition;

• Cordell A. Johnston, attorney and lobbyist, New Hampshire Municipal Association;

• David Saad, President, Right to Know NH, a citizens’ group working to improve access to government in New Hampshire;

• Trent Spiner, President, New Hampshire Press Association.

The panel will be moderated by First Amendment attorney Gregory V. Sullivan, a board member of both sponsoring organizations, who represents various media outlets in open government cases.

Admission is free.  The Loeb School is in Manchester at 749 E. Industrial Park Drive.

News from our own backyard continues after this.

With Super Tuesday on the horizon, former G O P presidential nominee Mitt Romney has questioned why G O P front-runner Donald Trump has yet to release any of his prior years tax returns.  In an interview on Fox News, Romney said he had quote “good reason to believe there’s a bombshell in Donald Trump’s taxes.”  When asked what he meant by that by interviewer Neil Cavuto, Romney went on to suggest that Trump’s  not released his returns because he’s either not as wealthy as he claims, pays less in taxes than people might think he should, or isn’t as charitable with veterans or the disabled as he claims.  Romney said the voters had a right to know what the returns looked like.  He also said that Rubio and Cruz should release their returns.

In response, Trump tweeted quote:

“Mitt Romney, who totally blew an election that should have been won and whose tax returns made him look like a fool, is now playing tough guy” and

“Mr Tough Guy Romney should be backing Trump like Trump backed him last time #NoLoyalty” and

“When Mitt Romney asked me for my endorsement last time around, he was so awkward and goofy that we all should have known he could not win!”

The Manchester Historical Association is hosting its twenty fourth annual Historic Preservation Awards in May.  The event begins on Thursday, May twelve at 5 p.m. with a cocktail reception.  The ceremony will be held at Manchester Community College.  Tickets are $75 dollars for Historic Association members, $85 dollars for the general public, and $600 dollars for a table of eight.  There are still opportunities to sponsor the event.  For more information or to order tickets, visit Manchester historic dot org.

That’s news from our own backyard, Girard at Large hour ___ is next!

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