Message sent: Restrain the city budget

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In response to the request for improvement ideas from those who voted "yes" on the cap: neighborhood watches shall be created. Attention to our children's education shall be increased. Fundraisers shall be held to create revenue for those groups who desire more cash inflow. We shall be resourceful and creative, the same values of ingenuity and self-reliance that made New England famous, even back in colonial times. We do not need to be dependent of the government for everything. We are a free people.
- Nick, Manchester

Jules, you were the one who was throwing slogans and slinging mud, attacking the cap from every angle illogically without a coherent plan. I chose to learn more about the matter, studied the question word for word, attended a public meeting where the cap was discussed, etc. I learned that the cap was not erratically conceived. I learned that the cap was designed to make the city function better. I know of many liberals who voted for the cap on its strengths.

I never said that police and fire were underpaid, and to imply otherwise is a lie. However, you consistently failed to suggest another inflation index after all your criticisms of CPI. You claimed that Nashua's taxes were higher despite the cap and tried to use that point to claim Manchester's taxes would not be controlled if the cap passed. You once claimed to be against big government, but your posting repeatedly indicated otherwise.

To your credit, I did forget to mention in my last posting what flaws existed in previous budgets. I apologize for that oversight and I shall now correct it. Problems include thousands of dollars for a sculpture outside the Verizon Center - that money could have been better put to use in schools, like the Central High School gym floor and the leaking roof. As President Bush was wrong to offer no-bid contracts to Halliburton, so did the city waste money by giving the health contract to Anthem, when Cigna offered the same coverage for less. Another ill-conceived plan was the Fisher Cats stadium - that did not pay for itself as well as the aldermen promised. You are right in that there is nothing wrong to see the value of a dollar spent, and there is nothing wrong in calling for improvements either.

You are also right in that this matter is being about truthful and honest, which I was and which you were not. You can not point to where I was dishonest. I strongly suggest you adopt honesty in your arguments next time.
- Nick, Manchester

Nick, I never said that I was worried that Manchester's taxes would rise if the cap were passed in the way that you put it. I said it was a poorly conceived plan, had an unrealistic index and would leave our city with undue constraints on an already well functioning budget process. What I said was that underfunded budgets and neglect lead to higher tax payments in the future which has been demonstrated in recent history.

Who are you to decide what my beliefs are? We disagree on this issue and I know many conservatives who voted against this measure because of its faults. While you and others like to sling the mud and slogans, other people choose to educate themselves and see beyond the party lines. You and others like to ignore the details of the city budget without naming any of the "overspending" that is alleged. People complain about police and firemen being "overpaid" for their difficult and dangerous jobs, while nothing could be further from the truth. I pay under $95 a week to educate my children, have police and fire protection, my trash collected, my street plowed, parks maintained etc. etc, etc. There is nothing anti-conservative about looking at our low tax rate and seeing the value of a dollar spent.

There is no truth that taxes have run amok. We have the lowest taxes for any city in the state. We were ranked 2nd in the country for best tax situation. This is not about being a liberal or a conservative, this is about being truthful and honest....which should be a conservative value that you begin following soon.
- Jules, Manchester

The message is clear to me. A true free election of free citizens is one where 80-100% get out and vote, well informed about candidates and special ballot items – well written or NOT.
It was perfect weather, absentee ballots were available, print media and the internet (free at the Library) was full of information. The candidates were more than happy to answer calls and e.mails.
Even those who voted were apathetic. I don’t know how many ballots were cast, but if we go by the votes for mayor 18,804 as 100% then 92% yes/no to cap, 96% for an alderman, 89% for a ward school board member.
By the way, 18,804 is about the public + private K-12 Manchester student population.
One last thing, the bully sabotage of candidate signs opposed to the cap was sheer shameless arrogance. So ditto to Peter’s challenge – we await the yeses improvement ideas.
- Lisa O, Manchester

Why Jules, you were worrying in earlier posts that taxes would rise if the cap was passed. Now you are saying that criticisms about tax increases are "complaining words and baseless claims". This only reveals the truth: you are not the conservative you claimed to be, but you identify with the liberals. You wanted the cap to fail because you do not oppose big government as you claimed, but you welcome it. The cap will not let taxes run amok as you claimed earlier, but rather will help control tax growth.
- Nick, Manchester

"Real message, the retired and teh rich do not care about our schools. So what if the kids do not have books. Unfortunately most of the working parents did not vote, 18% turnout is not a mandate its apathy.
- scott, manchester "

Scott, I am a parent of young children currently in grammer school. I voted. What do you based your assumption on 'working parents did not vote'. I work, actually in Mass. I got up, got 3 kids ready, voted, got them to school, got to MASS...

As a parent, I voted for the tax cap. And my children are in school. I can't afford to pay any more in taxes. Manchester needs to spend wisely, and look into some of the big salaries.

Really Scott, I don't understand where your assumptions come from. And you know what they say about people who assume....
- Margie, Manchester

We pass the tax cap but elect 13 of the 14 people who opposed the cap. Am I surrounded by idiots?
- Greg, Manchester

"If we are going to tell the City to step down a little then we have to start stepping up ourselves"

Well-put Peter, That's one of the reasons I chose to vote for the tax cap. I think when problems or opportunities arrive, the people will at the very least, be aware of it. The tax cap will help to create media around these issues. Then we need to step in and voice our opinion.
- Dave D, Manchester

Once again this paper and those with similar minds cry about overspending and unwarranted tax increases.

Show me the fat. Show me more than just your complaining words and baseless claims.

The budget in Manchester is lean. Our taxes are reasonable. I see nothing to the contrary except empty speeches.

The city would benefit from a few more efficincies, but, as a whole, we get good services at a nominal price.
- Jules, Manchester

"Message received: more crime, worse schools, deteriorated infrastructure, tax relief for the wealthy. Way to go GOP.
- LJC, Manchester"

I say we exile the wealthy, pronto. We'll take care of those greedy retirees with a well rationed, gov't healthcare program.
Oh wait, who will pay the majority of taxes that the wealthy already pay?
And those retirees who have sacrificed, be it fighting for this nation or building this nation or paying it's bills. Who do they think they are LJC, Scott?
Frank, take a look around. The nation has been going backwards for some ttime now.
With NAFTA, CAFTA, the green movement, cap and trade, Al Gore sniffing cow flatulence and his global warming lies, we are fast becoming a de-industrialized nation.
"Overtaxed, over regulated and over ruled"
- Michael, Manchester

I don't mind the tax cap, it's our right to put some restriction on city spending. I only ask that if you did vote for the tax cap that you explain what you will do personally to improve the City of Manchester and your community.

If we are going to tell the City to step down a little then we have to start stepping up ourselves.

So give me some ideas. What are we going to do to help our failing schools and the crime among many other things?
- Peter, Manchester

We elect aldermen for constituent services. We elect mayors for philosophy. Nobody liked Guinta, but at least he wasn't going to raise taxes. But he was all posture, no action. Go get 'em, Teddy! Show the fear mongerers that we can cut taxes and plow the streets, teach our kids, fight fires and patrol the streets. All the unions want is riases. We want what's best for Manchester.
- Dave, Manchester

The headline should read: Message sent, just about all Union leader Endorsed candidates lost. Now that my friends is a message! Ok, I am being funny here. The bottom line is, the Union Leader just about automatically backed Republicans (with the exception of a few Independents). People in Manchester don't follow the Union Leaders advice because the people don't care about the political party. They care about who the person is, not the party they come from.

The narrow margin of victory for the spending cap is not something I would say was a landslide or anything like that either. It was a divided issue at best.
- Mike, Manchester

LJC, the schools couldn't possibly be any worse. Thank a liberal for that.

As for the crime, liberal policies (ie: generous welfare handouts) have attracted many layabouts from neighboring states. You can thank Bob Baines, Jeanne Shaheen and Mr. Flynch for that problem.

Your rants about the tax relief for the wealthy don't make sense. The wealthy are the ones paying the way nationally and are the people who pay the only income taxes we have in NH.
- Ron, Manchester

When did the retired become "rich"? And: the schools were closed on voting day, would seem to me, plenty of people who care about schools had time to vote. As to "tax relief for the wealthy"? Mr LJC, have you noticed, most of the aldermen are democrats. My guess, some municipal employees think they "deserve" a life of ease while those paying the bills go broke.
- tom, manchester,nh

Message received: more crime, worse schools, deteriorated infrastructure, tax relief for the wealthy. Way to go GOP.
- LJC, Manchester

Typical fearmongering response. Assume the cuts are going to be in the schools and public safety. And given the fact that all but one of the alderman are democrats, that's where they'll most likely make the cuts because they don't want to anger their loyal union constitiuents.

In actuality, if one were to seriously look at areas where spending is rampant, they would find the spending trail leads right to every city office where unions are present. It's time to take control of this city back from the corrupt unions in who have our politicians in their back pockets, but Lopez, DeVries, and their ilk don't have the testicular fortitude to stand up to the union mafia and instead WILL take funding from the schools, fire departments, and the police to hand it to the union strongarms.
- Richard, Manchester

I'm not wealthy. I just don't want my rent increased because the city can't control their spending.

Nashua has managed with a cap for 15 years. They still manage to fight fires and teach their kids.
- Mike C., Manchester

I can't wait to see our next property tax increase. Gatsas was for the spending cap because he knew it would help get him elected but he also knew it meant squat. The BOA will over ride it, Gatsas will use that over ride to make himself look better in the next election and spending in Manchester will spiral out of control. It's never going to change. Never. The spending cap was all smoke and mirrors, and 2010 will prove that. In 2011 the BOA will over ride the cap knowing that voters are just too stupid to vote them or their big spending ways out.

Congrats to Phil. George Smith was a complete waste at City Hall. Ward 10 now has an alderman who knows there is more than one street to the ward. It'll probably take 2 years to recover from what George Smith never did in ward 10. I'm betting Phil wins by a land slide next election. Even if he only gets one improvement done, that will be more than Smith did in 10 years.
- A Wood, Manchester

Tax relief for the wealthy? The retired and the rich don't care about schools? Where do people come up with this stuff?

I am neither retired not rich and I do care about the schools but I know that I just cannot afford any more tax increases. Take the $300,000 we spend every year on those cushy millyard school administrative offices and buy the books the kids need. It's about priorities and far too often, our city's government's priorities are off...way off.
- Ben, Manchester

The evidence that the voters sent a clear message is so weak the editorial could have been written suggesting the opposite message from the voters. “Voters elected 13 candidates that support quality, and in some cases, expanded city services, but elected 2 candidates, the Mayor and a lone alderman, and a easily override tax cap. Will the Mayor confirm to the voters’ wishes as indicated in the 13 aldermen, or will he continue to think, as you said, that due to this winning he got a ‘clear mandate.’”

In truth, the voters sent at best a very mixed message. Nonetheless, it is clear who the voters empowered: anti tax cap aldermen run the city. The pro tax cap mayor and the cap itself have great influence, but not direct power. For those not in power, they can rest assured knowing that Gatsas is much better at influencing and working with the other side than our current mayor.

Alas, there is another way to interpret the election results. As one lifelong city resident explained to me “The message the taxpayers sent is that they want great city services, but do not want to pay for them.” Hmmm. I hope they were wrong. A city can’t be successful on a immature dream.
- Peter Sorrentino, Manchester

Oh yea... lets watch Manchester go backwards now... The tax cap and a say no to everything Mayor will lead us down the path of NO PROGRESSION OR GROWTH...
Way to go...
- Frank, Manchester

Real message, the retired and teh rich do not care about our schools. So what if the kids do not have books. Unfortunately most of the working parents did not vote, 18% turnout is not a mandate its apathy.
- scott, manchester

I know my message to Claremont,where the tax cap lost.You will soon find a for sale sign on my front lawn.Pretty soon the only ones working here will be unions and city administrators.I'm all done with Claremont.Now back to painting the place.
- John, Claremont

"tax relief for the wealthy" LJC, Manchester

I don't see it as tax relief for the wealthy, I think it's tax relief for the middle class thats being dragged on down to the poverty level.

I would urge aldermen regardless of party to work on behalf of all the residents when it comes to the budget. It's about setting priorities like I do when I make out my bills. Do I want a plasma television, do I want satellite television, do I want a new stereo with and ipod, do i want a new blackberry? Sure I'd love to get all the latest and greatest, can I afford it. No. So I make do with my 7 year old television, I get basic cable with 23 stations, I listen to free radio on a little shelf top stereo, I have a cheap cell phone that takes no photo's or surfs the web.

The city budget needs to be the same, realistic and affordable.
- Jack Alex, Manchester

Message received: more crime, worse schools, deteriorated infrastructure, tax relief for the wealthy. Way to go GOP.
- LJC, Manchester