Blank Check for Bedford Officials? Seems That Way.

So my fellow citizens and Bedford bubble residents, if you’re happy and you know it, then do what the kids’ song says, and clap your hands.

But not all of us are happy.

Some of us are agitated that we’re again going to see our real estate taxes bump up by hundreds of dollars, as usual, thanks to the proposed school budget.

Many question the absolute “need” of an additional expensive fire station and additional town employees to staff it, especially in the absence of a “no holes barred” analysis of whether such is absolutely the only way to get a town ambulance to the River Road area a couple of minutes quicker (the major argument for another fire station).

Growing numbers want definitive answers to the costs of implementing Common Core throughout the Bedford schools, particularly when there are so many other unanswered questions related to Common Core. Not to mention, given the controversies surrounding Common Core throughout both New Hampshire and the nation, many question how it could be that Bedford residents have been officially told so little about it. And those who question where educational requirements end and entitlement attitudes begin certainly could raise more than a few questions about school spending.

Even advocates for Bedford better roads recognize that a $30 million road bond might be what finally breaks the backs of ordinary Bedford residents who have ordinary incomes not expected to increase by much.

And then on the state side of things, lots of Bedford residents have strong opinions on such things as expanding Medicaid in the state, gambling casinos, and legalizing marijuana (which 3 of our Bedford state reps think is a great idea). Some of us don’t think much of putting Keno betting in restaurants – something being pushed by two of our Bedford state reps (who just happen to own a tavern/restaurant in Manchester).

Oh . . . I could just go on and on about questions that we should be asking and answers that we should be getting from our School Board members and school administrators, from our Town Council, and from our delegates to the NH Legislature. But the silence from the citizenry is deafening.

On Wednesday night, January 29, all of these people – school administrators and elected officials, Council members, and state legislators – will assemble at 7:00 PM in the lower level of the Bedford Library to discuss issues of importance to Bedford residents. And Bedford residents will have the chance to make comments and to ask questions. To my knowledge, all of the afore-mentioned will be there with the exception of our husband and wife legislators Mr. & Ms. Murphy. The meeting will not be televised, so residents have only one chance to see and hear what will transpire. The upside to that is that residents too shy to be on television needn’t worry about such.

WILL YOU BOTHER TO BE THERE??? OR IS IT JUST MORE COMFORTABLE TO CEDE ALL GOVERNANCE TO OTHER PEOPLE? WILL YOU SEEK MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO SPEND OUR MONEY, OR ARE YOU OKAY WITH GIVING THEM A BLANK CHECK FROM YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT? IF SO, THEN CLAP FOR YOURSELF ‘CAUSE A LOT OF US SURELY WON’T BE APPLAUDING YOU.