Canaan
In return for the town’s support of a warrant article to reallocate school district taxes, Canaan is offering to cut $4,600 annually from what it charges Dorchester for fire coverage, which most recently was a little more than $7,600. Dorchester doesn’t have its own fire department and is covered by both Canaan and Rumney.
“In the event that the funding (warrant) article passes and Dorchester’s support of the article played a role by being in favor of the article, Canaan wants to return the support to the taxpayers of Dorchester,” said a draft proposal signed by Canaan’s three-member Selectboard and sent to Dorchester.
Distressed by steadily increasing tax rates in the five-town regional school district, Canaan officials submitted a warrant article earlier this month proposing that the Mascoma Valley Regional School District factor town property valuations into how it allocates tax burdens among the member towns. Currently, each town’s bill is determined solely by enrollment numbers.
If voters pass the article in March, it could shift $600,000 in new taxes to Enfield, which has the district’s largest townwide valuation. The new formula also would reduce Canaan’s overall taxes to the district by nearly $500,000, according to Canaan Town Administrator Mike Samson. Under the article, Orange and Grafton also would see decreases, Samson predicts, while Dorchester’s total tax burden would increase by $4,600.
The offer to cut Dorchester’s fire bill is meant to make up for the town’s possible increased tax burden in the event of a “yes” vote, Samson said on Wednesday, adding Canaan can’t afford to make a similar offer to Enfield.
“It would only take effect if Dorchester and the other four towns voted to change the funding formula,” he said.
But Enfield Selectboard members issued a statement on Tuesday suggesting the offer is not merely divisive, but also unethical.
“This behavior deeply concerns us; we must question the legality of such tactics by a public official who is operating in an official capacity on behalf of a town,” the statement said, referring to Samson. “Essentially offering bribes to another community in exchange for an affirmative vote is morally and ethically questionable.”
While the Selectboard has tried to stay out of school district matters, a recent video of Samson speaking to Dorchester voters on Jan. 5 pressed them to issue a response to the article, Selectboard Chairman John Kluge said. Although Samson said the Selectboard had discussed the topic before he made the offer to Dorchester residents, the Canaan Selectboard didn’t take up the matter for a vote until after he made the proposal in Dorchester.
The video being circulated is titled “Canaan Town Administrator attempts to bribe Dorchester residents” and is an excerpt of Samson’s two-hour forum before about 15 Dorchester residents earlier this month. The meeting was often contentious, with residents questioning why they should support a change that would cost them more.
“What is it about Dorchester that makes you think we can afford to do this?” a man in the audience asked, as Samson attempted to explain how taxes are hindering Canaan real estate sales.
“I’d offer to pay the difference,” Samson replied, according to the recording. “I’m serious. Wouldn’t you?”
“I mean, if I save $600,000 by passing the bill over to Enfield, which has got gobs and gobs of value, doesn’t that make sense?” Samson asked. “And if it penalizes you, I’ll send you the check for $4,000.”
Samson then upped the offer. Canaan would “give you all the fire protection for nothing for the rest of your lives,” he told Dorchester residents.
Samson admitted on Wednesday that using “gobs and gobs of value” to describe Enfield was a poor choice of words. Although he said the offer to provide free fire services was made in a joking tone, he also said the offer was serious.
Samson dismissed accusations of bribery, saying the deal passed a preliminary review by Canaan’s town attorney.
“The difference is whether a promise is made to a particular person,” Samson said, adding intermunicipal agreements don’t qualify as bribery.
In Dorchester, attorneys also signed off on the deal, Selectboard Chairman Steve Bjerklie said on Wednesday. However, the New Hampshire Municipal Association recommended attorneys take a close look at the wording in a finalized agreement, he said.
“Dorchester’s town attorney said that it was not a bribe and it was only incumbent on the Dorchester Selectboard to make clear the details of the offer prior to the election,” Bjerklie said. “At this point, right now, today, the Dorchester Selectboard has not made a recommendation on Article 9 one way or another.”
Regardless of the legality of the offer, the possible deal and warrant article are dividing towns normally known for collaboration, said Kluge, the Enfield Selectboard chairman.
“(Residents) are upset about it and it concerns me because we don’t want a situation where it becomes this divisive between the towns,” he said.
While member towns of the Mascoma Valley school district might have been living harmoniously in recent years, other New Hampshire districts have frequently bickered over how to fairly divide up financial responsibility, said Donald Jutton, CEO of Municipal Resouces Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in hiring and managing local governments.
“I know there has been a lot of unhappiness with these regional school districts,” Jutton said, before naming a half-dozen towns that either tried to reallocate taxes or withdraw entirely from districts in recent years.
Jutton said it is common for towns in New Hampshire to find themselves in Canaan’s situation, where the town gets grief for high taxes because it’s the town that issues tax bills covering both municipal and school expenses.
Discussion on the allocation warrant article isn’t expected to die down anytime soon. Samson is scheduled to speak before Enfield voters at a forum on Monday, where he’ll be arguing on behalf of Canaan’s proposal.
“This is a very emotional discussion, to put it mildly, and nobody wants to pay more in Enfield and we understand that,” Samson said. Instead, Canaan is simply trying to advance the interests of its own taxpayers, he said.
The community forum on Article 9 is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday in the Enfield Community Building.
Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.