Dedicated to Restoring & Maintaining Integrity in Goffstown Government

 

CANDIDATE PROFILE:

Bill Gordon

for SELECTMAN

 
 Bill Gordon
 103 Center Street, Goffstown, NH 03045
 Phone: (603) 497-3721
 Cell: (603) 340-4407    
 Email:  goffstownnh@gmail.com
 Web:
 Video Profile: 

  •
Born in Hanover, NH
  • Retired Computer Graphics Engineer
  • Lived in Goffstown for Several Years
  • Involved in Several Town Activities


Bill and his puppy, Miles

 

A Bit About Me
During my career with computers in business, I made it a practice of getting good working knowledge of the environment I was dealing with. I went beyond the analyst’s specifications to find out how the end user and the operations staff interfaced with the system so that I could better deliver my services. This is the way I intend to do the job of Selectman. 
Two years ago, I asked for a job description for a BOS member – none was to be had. In order to prepare for this position, I have attended most of the BOS meetings of the past two years except while I was out of town (about eight months in 2006) so that I might better understand the job.

Involved in Several Town Activities:
     • Friends of the Greenway
     • Rails-to-Trails Steering Committee Economic Development Council
     • Budget Committee
     • Committee for Elderly Tax Relief
While in Minnesota, I was a member of the joint Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals in Northfield MN, a community of about 18,000 people. 

Why I am Running
I have an overriding issue; TAXES and I have some potential strategies and tactics to bring forward with your help.
About three years ago, a friend of mine asked me if I might be interested in running for public office. What me? No never! I did not have the passion I felt one needed to seek elected office. 
In 2005, the Friends of the Greenway efforts were threatened and I felt that I might make a run at a seat on the BOS – what the heck! 
I admit that I was ill prepared to run; however, being a died-in-the-wool Yankee, I put my dollar bill with my filing papers and I gave the campaign my all. I did well; however, not well enough to win. I learned a lot and I met lots of really nice people. I got the passion. 

 


Bill Gordon’s Overriding Issue:  TAXES 

Real estate taxes are growing faster than your capacity to fund – The Big Squeeze” – and your tax rate (equalized) is the highest in the immediate area making Goffstown less attractive to potential buyers.

 

CAUSES

POTENTIAL STRATEGIES & TACTICS

(tactics in lowercase will need thoughtful planning and phased in over time)

Lack of a Unifying Mission

Define a clear town-wide mission and adhere to it (produce a dynamic mission statement balancing history and tradition with the demands of society, growth and reality)

Budget Creep

Reform budgeting processes to better facilitate informed decision making (such as ‘zero-based’ budgeting or line item budgeting)

Existing Services

Determine true cost to provide (review activities to determine true cost and relationship to departmental and town-wide mission)

Tough decisions (review whether to continue, expand, reduce, or discontinue)

Economy measures (reward initiative, schedule revenue and expenditures, consolidate non-critical services when practical)

New Projects

or Services

Determine true cost and adherence with mission (funding, offsets, grants, timelines, options, cost benefit, etc. to determine true cost)

Public awareness (Present as bottom line cost with anticipated time lines and show how costs were arrived at; i.e., Bottom Line Cost = Gross Cost – Expected Grants - Offsetting Expenditures, etc.)

Accurate and comprehensive tracking (project accounting and performance measurement)

Relatively Small

Commercial Tax Base

 

Determine if we desire commercial expansion (part of town-wide mission)

If commercial expansion is desired, promote tax-advantaged growth (education and marketing) and implement needed infrastructure (sewer, water, zoning, etc.)

Your tax rate (equalized)

is the highest

in the immediate area

Drive Your tax rate lower!

(all of these strategies and tactics combined and more)

Other towns’ greater growth impacting the town’s budgets with delayed or no offsetting revenues

 


 


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