LEBANON — Everything put to Lebanon voters Tuesday passed, including a proposed cap on the city’s budget, a prohibition of keno games and the legalization of outdoor drinking areas.
In contested elections, voters also elected a mix of familiar faces and newcomers to the City Council.
All school articles, including a $59.13 million operating budget, also passed.
The cap on increases in the city’s annual operating budgets, which passed 1,155-854, was a petitioned article brought forward by a group of residents concerned about affordability.
Going forward, the City Council will not be able to approve a budget that would raise taxes higher than a cap that is formulated based on past spending, inflation and population changes.
However, in any given year, the budget cap can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the nine-member City Council.
Turnout was up this year at about 21%, with 2,167 ballots cast out of more than 10,000 registered voters. Last March, 1,579 people voted.
Roger Lohr, 71, came to the polls with taxes on his mind, noting that in his 10 years living in Lebanon, his property taxes have climbed steadily. He voted in favor of the budget cap.
“I know it’s going to be a big hassle to the City Council and that’s the challenge I want to apply,” Lohr said Tuesday.
He noted that departments such as police and public works are important, but they must figure out how to operate on a “more efficient basis” and that the budget, especially the number of staff, is unsustainable.
The 2026 city budget includes almost 210 full-time equivalent employees across all departments, including positions paid for through revenue streams including property taxes and solid waste, wastewater, sewer and airport fees.
Resident Nat Shenton said he cast his vote against the proposal because he worried it could “limit the city down the line to make improvements.”
Keno prohibited and social districts approved
In two other ballot questions, voters opted to prohibit keno in the city and to allow the City Council to establish outdoor “social districts” where people could consume alcohol sold by nearby restaurants.
Rajesh Arora, 56, voted not to allow keno in Lebanon because he said residents do not need another option to gamble.
“We’ve got our gambling casino there. There’s more gambling options,” Arora said. “Everybody just wastes their money on the gambling rather than other things.”
Eric Agterberg, 55, also voted for no keno and noted that gambling is “just as addictive as alcohol, tobacco, any kind of other drugs.”
Though Saul Nochumson, 44, did not have strong feelings about either article, he said he supported allowing keno and social districts: “I don’t feel like we should have to restrict things and (we can) just see how it plays out.”
Shenton said it was easy to vote for social districts, especially because the article did not designate such an area and instead gives the City Council the chance to do so in the future.
“That would be cool to do eventually,” Shenton said Tuesday.
Contested city races decided
In a crowded at-large race for two open seats, incumbent City Councilor Tim McNamara secured the most votes, 1,082, followed close behind by newcomer Kellen Appleton, 974. Paul Roberts finished third with 868. Ron Smith, 563, and Cory Grant, 237, came in at fourth and fifth.
McNamara and Appleton will serve for two years.
Agterberg cast his votes for McNamara and Appleton because he favored their positions on “how we need to deal with our taxes; our government in the city.”
“A lot of people think that taxes should not increase, but taxes (are) really to help everybody,” Agterberg noted Tuesday.
In Ward 2, newcomer Eric Cole unseated longtime Councilor George Sykes, 435-336.
Lori Key emerged victorious after a write-in challenge from Max Terzano for Ward 3.
Andrew Faunce ran uncontested for Ward 1. The three seats each carry a two-year term.
Cole, Smith, Roberts and Key campaigned on platforms of bringing down city expenses and property taxes, while Appleton mounted a campaign with Terzano and Sykes, whose priorities included making the city affordable through avenues other than budget cuts and maintaining city services.
Lohr opted to support newcomers down the ballot, splitting his votes between Cole in Ward 2, and Smith and Appleton for the at-large race.
Lohr said the vote was an intentional split between the differing perspectives to see how their ideas might work out. He noted that the town is “at a dichotomy” on how to deal with expenses and he wants to see how some new ideas might affect the ongoing conversation.
“If it does do 50/50 and there’s a couple more people on the City Council who want to try to make the changes, let’s see what they can do,” Lohr noted.
School articles approved
On the school side, all articles passed including the proposed budget, regulating open enrollment, the creation of a health care capital reserve fund to help weather rising health care rates and a question allowing the School Board to enter a long-term lease agreement with the Boys & Girls Club of Central and Northern New Hampshire.
In uncontested races, Candy Hammond, Travis Talbert and Tia Winter were elected to three-year terms on the School Board.
Superintendent Amy Allen was grateful for the results Tuesday, which she said represented a win for the district.
Open enrollment has been a hot topic in recent weeks and was on the ballot in many New Hampshire towns, including several in the Upper Valley.
A state court ruled last year that if a student chooses to leave their school district to attend another, local tax dollars will follow them. The Lebanon School District was one of many that opted to restrict this option, even as the state Legislature works to make open enrollment universal.
“I’m pleased with the vote from the Lebanon community on that one because I believe it keeps Lebanon tax dollars within the Lebanon School District,” Allen said Wednesday morning.
The article, which allows non-resident students to attend just Mt. Lebanon Elementary School up to 1% of the total student population and restricts Lebanon students from attending other open enrollment programs, will also protect Lebanon’s existing area agreements with Grantham and Plainfield, Allen said.
“I think we will continue to watch what is happening in Concord.”
After a difficult budget process hamstrung by an unexpected spike in insurance rates, Allen said she was also pleased to see voters approve a $59.13 million operating budget.
“The budget voters approved prioritizes student learning and responds responsibly to fiscal realities in our community, and in public education statewide,” Allen said in a Wednesday statement. “This budget empowers us to continue enacting our strategic plan, which places students at the center of everything we do.”