Washburn: Will There Be a Taxpayer Revolt in November?

Is Concord rife for the creation of a local version of D.U.G.E? The School Board confronted by irate residents over the proposed building a new middle school in the Broken Ground recently voted an in-your -face to spend $3 million on architectural fees to design a $150 million middle school in spite of projected declining enrollments and call for a serious look at repurposing and expanding the use of Rundlett.

The City Council is continuing its quest to expand the current 4,400 SQ FT Beaver Meadow club house to a 10,500 colossus in spite of taxpayer push back. This one has interesting roots. It started out as an administration proposal to the state for a two-story building as a “community center”. The state saw through this ruse and said no. The problem is that there has been little if any public input in this project as the three council appointed committees had no input in the original design and were only given the option of three bad choices. The next public opportunity for comment will come when the project comes under stealthy placed capital budget review.

The golf course advisory committee has recently come under some ethics criticisms. Given the past performance of the committee assigned to review ethics complaints, I do not anticipate any action to be taken. Unfortunately, in the past, the golf advisory committee had some serious responsibilities but a prior council literally declawed the cat and the committee no longer has the authority it had and is sorely needed today. I don’t think the ethics complaint will go anywhere but highlights how poorly this advisory committee is structured with little power to actually advise is taking center stage. The issue as to who is on the committee is miscast as being a choice between golfers and non-golfers. What is needed is a committee that can recognize the major current management failures and recommend improvements that will make the course a more viable community asset.

The current council kerfuffle surrounds the lighting of Keach Park. Not too surprising is the playing of the race card in the decision-making process. What makes this hilarious is that the council recently approved squandering $40,000 to hire a questionable DEI consultant. The lighting would impose the creation of an expanding attractive nuisance in a neighborhood that is already burdened by unnecessary rowdyism. It also expands the light pollution that dominates the Heights that no other ward has to suffer.

The Monitor recently exposed a budgetary gamesmanship used by the city to inflate the amounts in its reserve accounts far and above state recommendations. Currently NH DRA recommends a 17% reserve and the city reserve accounts exceed 22%. The current game plan is when the mayor comes up with a plan to fund something that would not pass the property tax payer smell test it is funded out to one of the reserve funds. Such appropriation hearings purposely generate little public comment and sail through.

Actually, there could be a better use for reserve funds. Right now, capital projects regardless of dollar amounts are bonded over a 20-year life even if the improvement won’t last 20 years. I would suggest that all capital improvements under the total cost of $150,000 come out of a reserve fund thus saving the taxpayers 20 years of interest payments. Every year, the reserve funds get refreshed from unspent property taxes so the chances of going below the 17% recommendation is remote.

So, back to the original question does the city need a commission to investigate fraud waste and abuse. The answer is no since there is no fraud and waste and the only abuse is the unnecessary abuse of the property tax payers by a tone-deaf city council and school board. If we had more fiscally responsible city councilors and school board members our voices would be listened to by decision makers. Unfortunately, 85% of the voters vote with their feet by not voting in municipal elections with predictable results. We are stuck with a council and school board who are totally oblivious to plight of senior tax payers and young families who can’t afford to move in. November will be another local watershed election. Will it be more of the same or will there be a successful movement to restore fiscal sanity. If you are part of the 85%, you need to step up to the plate and vote in November. By not voting you will only guarantee the continuation of this nonsense.