On Tuesday, March 1, Hanover voters will decide whether to approve Hanover School District collective bargaining agreements, the FY23 proposed budget and other important matters.
The Hanover Finance Committee unanimously supports the agreements with teachers and support staff in Articles 4 and 5 and the Hanover School District budget in Article 6. The committee also unanimously supports Article 7 to replenish the Building Maintenance Fund as it was tapped to pay for sweeping technological improvements approved by voters last year.
While a direct comparison of the current and proposed expenditure budgets is complicated by several factors including the removal of $1.9 million in sixth grade tuition expense and the exclusion of yet-to-be approved salary increases, an adjusted comparison shows the functional increase in the budget to be $727,000, or 5.2%. The Finance Committee finds this to be an acceptable increase in a challenging job market for Upper Valley employers and an environment with inflation hovering around 6%.
If all articles were to pass in both Hanover and Dresden, and assessments from both districts are combined, the result to the Hanover taxpayer would be an overall tax rate increase of 3.47%, or 37 cents, for a total school tax rate of $11.04 per $1,000 of property value. The increase in property taxes is significantly dampened by a $1.3 million grant in state educational aid, which is a serendipitous but likely one-time windfall.
The owner of a $500,000 home would pay an additional $185 per year, an amount that does not include anticipated increases in town or county assessments. The total school tax bill for the home would be $5,520.
More information can be found at SAU70.org, in the colorful brochures sent to residents and by attending or tuning into the Annual Meeting discussion on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 5 p.m. Voting is Tuesday, March 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hanover High School. Absentee voting is open to all with COVID-related concerns.
Kari Asmus
Etna
Kari Asmus is chair of the Hanover Finance Committee.
Candidate forums are one way for the public to learn candidates’ thoughts on the policies (as well as the lives) of the people they may or may not elect to represent them. When I ran for the special election in Hartford last summer, I appreciated all who took the time to talk with me about their concerns regarding town issues. Thank you for that opportunity.
I am again running for Hartford Selectboard, a three-year seat. Having attended meetings since I last ran, we are all aware of the issues that affect our town: the homeless; affordable housing; climate and sustainability issues; diversity, equity and inclusion policies; road and bridge repairs; lighting and parking meters; and concerns that people have over a police department that needs leaders as well as officers. Most of these issues are not unique to Hartford. Add the pandemic to the mix and people sometimes lose patience with the process.
I will work as a team member on the board, recognizing that progress is a process that takes time as well as energy. Common sense serves us better than animosity or bullying.
We can still voice strong opinions while respecting others’ equally strong opinions. I’ll be the first to admit that there will be a learning curve in doing my best for the community. But I’m willing to engage with committees and town staff, as well as the public, in creating an environment of accomplishments, which undoubtedly may include compromises as well.
Mary Erdei
Hartford
I’m a New London resident and lifelong Democrat who has actively supported Democrats since 1968, from the top of the slate to the bottom. I have also supported Republicans such as Danny Wolf when their values have coincided with mine. We are privileged in New Hampshire that the office of Selectman has always been a nonpartisan office, allowing voters to focus on qualifications, ideas and candidates’ views on how best to address town issues.
Some of those important New London town issues have not been fully addressed or resolved and need the attention and action of the Selectmen. These issues include: concerns for safety and storage at the transfer station; digitizing town records; solving storage needs of all departments; facility improvements for Public Works to benefit our employees; returning space in the Academy Building now used for storage to its original use as office space for use by other departments and committees; improving Whipple Hall for safety and efficiency; safety improvements to the Academy Building and police department; and doing what we can, right now, to improve working conditions for our police force, whether or not a new station is built in the years to come.
Most, if not all, of these needs have existed since at least 2016. These issues need addressing to better position the town to meet the future — the time to do so is now, even if it means a slight tax increase.
All these initiatives have been a part of Colin Beasley’s work on the Building and Facilities Committee and addressed by him on the Budget Committee, including advocating for budget increases to attend to some of these needs. This is the kind of attention to town affairs we need and deserve — before embarking on some undefined course with no clear plan and with unknown expenses, before the can gets kicked further down the road.
That’s why I’m voting for Colin Beasley, a registered, undeclared independent.
Bob Bowers
New London