YOUR COMMENTS

For the people like Bob and the other comments I have read about about supporting the Alderman, let me say that is bull. This is really not about a tax cap (thogh God knows we need one as my real estate taxes are getting to much). This is about trying to prevent the people on voting for or against. I am tired of the politicians trying to keep me/us out of the loop. Look, let me/us vote. If it passes and the city starts to crumble, then let the people decide if the want to cancel it. This is OUR COUNTRY. To many CORRUPT POLITICAL DICTATORS...
- Jim, Manchester NH

Mr. Hirschmann, your buddy Joe Kelly is running against Peter Sullivan, the ONLY alderman who challenged the back room vote. Get your facts straight.
- Richard, Manchester

Looks like the people of Manchester will actually get to make their voice heard, despite the fact that those sorry Alderman don't want to listen.

Many towns and cities in NH have tax caps and they have worked quite well. Spending is out of control. Time to bring the government back to the reality us little people face every day: there's not enough money to do everything you want. You have to make tough choices.
- Jack, Concord

Can anyone post the past two budget increases, I know this year was a 2.9% increase, but I can't remember the numbers from the past few years.

If they approved a large increase (~20%) I would before a tax cap, which is what I believe happened in Franklin. However, if the percentage is in the 3% range then I don't see the problem. Costs go up, and let's be real here - our city needs the money, look at our roads, schools, and our PD. I would gladly pay more in taxes to make sure my neighborhood is safer, my children get a first-class education, and when I drive my car to work I'm not going over potholes every few yards.

I think this measure will only continue the downward spiral of our great city is taking. We elected a Mayor and Board of Alderman to decide what's best for the city...let's let them do their job - and if we don't like it we should boot them out.

Keep up the good work Aldermen, keep this phony, sham of a policy off of the ballot.
- Bob, Manchester, NH

Many people worked very hard to get this on the ballot. A special thanks goes out to JKL for taking up the case and woking so hard to make sure we won. I appreciate your help.
- Mik Biundo, Manchester

About 20 years ago the Maryland county I lived in passed a tax cap. It was a total disaster. The roads deteriorated, the schools suffered, and the police force was cut. The voters overturned it overwhelmingly the first time it came back on the ballot. Tax caps are a blunt instrument that make a poor substitute for responsible governnance. Just say no.
- LJC, Manchester

Well I know who I wont be voting for Mayor

What a bunch of crooks at City Hall.

What have any of them done for this city?

Archways, Parking Meters, Tax Hikes, Bar Fights, Schools that are a joke, Secret meetings, A police department with an Answering machine?

What the heck is going on in Manchester -

It's time for the Garbage Collectors to make a stop at City Hall.
- Al Wood, Manchester

TaxCrap

This does nothing to address the legalities of this item we are going to vote on, all it was is to slap the knuckles of the Aldermen that went into non-public session with the city solicitor. The same solicitor you ask for a question during a meeting, that the content is already on the agenda, and he has to research an item to get an answer.

At heart I adore an tax cap, but after seeing proposition 2 1/2 in Massachusetts over the last 3 decades the citys and towns have figured ways around it. The city will just figure a way around taxes. I guess people wouldn't mind if any increases were marginal tied to the rate of inflation, I dont think the residents of Manchester a stupid and everyone recognizes costs go up on goods and service and labor.

The days of double the rate of inflation and reckless spending need to come to an end and we need to effectively need to balance our budget not by kicking over stone looking for more money but to save money and how we spend.
- Jack Alex, Manchester

Look at California? Exactly, but not for tax cap, look at the out of control spending in California, even with a tax cap!

The money belongs to the tax payers of Manchester, not the Aldermen. We have seen a growing trend over the last 10 to 15 years that allows city leaders to buy every toy they want and spend every dollar they want.

Zero based budgeting would be a good start in every city and town in NH.
- Melvin, Keene

The citizens of manchester deserve the right to vote on the taxcap / spending
referendum this fall. The right to know law must always be followed by our elected officials . It is disturbing that the
current alderman either didn't know they
violated the law or ignored it by meeting
in private on a matter that does not qualify for a closed door meeting. Voters
should look at electing new Aldermen
like Joe Kelly Levasseur , who brought
this case into the daylight.
- Keith Hirschmann, Manchester New Hampshire

Now it's time to vote for common sense people of Manchester. Vote for the cap and vote those who opposed out in to the streets. Preserve our way of life in New Hampshire!
- Fred Leonard, Rochester, NH

joe kelly deserves a lot of praise for taking the case pro bono and winning the argument, great job judge O'niell, thank you for not letting aldermen meet in the dark and try to take away our right to vote on this issue.
- jamie, manchester

City Solicitor Tom Clark took a gamble and played his hand - but it's not over yet. It's a long time until November and the tax-and-spenders on Manchester's Board of Aldermen may very well try again to void the spending cap question on November's ballot.

Alderman Lopez, since you are reported above as looking forward to a vigorous education program, the residents will look to you to insure that the aldermanic spending cap education meetings in the wards that were promised in September 2008 actually happen.
- David R, Manchester

Wait a second here. So, Mike Lopez basically says, well, the judge ruled so, it has to go to ballot. The judge didn't rule on the substance of the argument. He ruled that the city should not have held a private meeting to get it to court because that violated the States Right to Know Laws. So, Lopez and the others can take a vote on the board to have the city lawyer re-file and have the judge rule on the merits. Of course, if that happens, the mayor will veto it and there won't be enough votes to override the veto so the issue is dead either way. But my oh my how quickly Lopez gives up.
This is not a victory for the tax cap. It is a victory for the people to force the elected aldermen to hold their meetings in public.
- Jeff, Manchester

Lopez said he looks forward to a vigorous education program regarding the impact of a tax cap. "Anytime they're ready to debate the issues, we'll do it," said Lopez.

He and the alderman like him have got to be kidding. Oh wait, you mean, now, they finally mean it. Lopez and his fellow alderman against this tax cap have done nothing for over 10 months to educate the public on the evils of the tax cap and now that they can't disrail it with dubious legal tricks they suddenly think educating the public is important.

They derailed the vote last fall saying the public was to dumb to understand the issues in 2 months time without being educated on them. Yet they did nothing to educate while trying to do everything to prevent the vote.

From having followed the issue already somehow I don't see myself easily believing anything this teacher and his cohorts will try to "learn" me, now that the issue is finally important enough to do "edumacate" me about it. I already learned the lesson he was trying to teach by non-example.
- davetb1956, Manchester