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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
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POTENTIAL STRATEGIES & TACTICS
(tactics in
lowercase will need thoughtful planning and phased in over
time)
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Lack of a Unifying Mission
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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)
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Budget Creep
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Reform budgeting processes to better facilitate informed
decision making (such as ‘zero-based’ budgeting
or line item budgeting)
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Existing Services
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Determine true cost to provide (review activities to determine true cost and relationship to
departmental and town-wide mission)
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Tough decisions (review whether to
continue, expand, reduce, or discontinue)
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Economy measures (reward
initiative, schedule revenue and expenditures, consolidate
non-critical services when practical)
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New Projects
or Services
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Determine true cost and adherence with mission (funding, offsets, grants, timelines, options, cost benefit,
etc. to determine true cost)
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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.)
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Accurate and comprehensive tracking (project accounting and performance measurement)
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Relatively Small
Commercial Tax Base
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Determine if we desire commercial expansion (part of town-wide mission)
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If commercial
expansion is desired, promote tax-advantaged growth (education and marketing) and
implement needed infrastructure (sewer, water, zoning,
etc.)
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Your tax rate (equalized)
is the highest
in the immediate area
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Drive Your tax rate lower!
(all of these strategies and tactics combined and more)
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Other towns’ greater growth
impacting the town’s budgets with delayed or no
offsetting revenues
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