January 30,
2009
EDITORIAL
Kudos to
the Goffstown Budget Committee
School
Board spending machine finally reigned in |
There is no way for us to adequately express our appreciation and gratitude as Goffstown residents to the Goffstown Budget Committee for their tireless and
unwavering efforts on behalf of our beloved town's weary taxpayers in helping to secure a reduction in wasteful spending and a never-before-experienced level of relief for all of us. What you, as a group, have managed to accomplish has not only never been done before in Goffstown, it has never even been tried.
For that, we'd like to offer KUDOS to particular members of the committee, in alphabetical order...
To Mr. Ivan Beliveau: Thank you for all of your great work, Mr. Beliveau, as well as your calming influence, attention to details, and steadfast support for what
we believe is a desperately needed effort to reign in the school board's history of spending-at-will.
To Mr. Dan Cloutier, Chairman: No one could ask for a steadier hand-on-the-tiller than Mr. Cloutier's.
What he has accomplished as chairman of his committee not only exemplified his clear understanding of procedure and protocol, but also of the true intent of his
committee's members and the will of his constituents.
As usual, the result was another great job, and a
perfect example of keeping the best interests of our community in mind - and at heart.
Please accept
our sincere thanks and appreciation.
To Ms. Christi Garrison: Your ability to compromise and help work towards an agreeable, middle-of-the road school budget figure, effectively saved the day.
Kudos, Ms. Garrison, and thank you.
To Mr. Bill Gordon: What more can be said about 'Mr. Detail'?
Without his painstaking, tedious examination of every line item, every number, every paper crease and coffee stain in the school budget, who knows how broke we might all be next year?
We're very impressed with - and grateful for - all of the hard work he put in towards helping every single taxpayer in our fair town.
Please keep up the GREAT work, Mr. Gordon. We will be fully supporting you in your run for
selectman in March.
To Mr. John Hikel: You showed incredible restraint, Mr. Hikel.
We know you wanted that full $995K reduction, and we know you were fully prepared to defend it on Friday, but unfortunately you didn't get the chance to do so. But your committee did manage to secure roughly 2/3 of the total reduction you were all aiming for, and that's pretty darned good. Just take what can only be considered a major victory for Goffstown taxpayers to deliberative session, and
we're confident the voters will make sure it sticks.
To Ms. Roxann Hunt: Without your unwavering dedication to the best interests of Goffstown taxpayers, and your tunnel-visioned fixation on lowering wasteful spending,
we'd be drowning our sorrows right now instead of
reminding you that Goffstown desperately needs you, and
more people like you. You MUST run for re-election,
Roxann - that's an order from every taxpayer in Goffstown!
To Mr. Roger Richard: Without folks like you to keep all of our eyes on the ball, i.e., the "big" picture of constitutional rights and privileges, there would be no such thing as the budget process we've all just experienced. Thank you, Mr. Richard, and keep up the great work.
To Ms. Cathie Simard: Ms. Simard turned in one helluva job as a freshman committee member! It had to have been tough for her on Sunday night not to re-visit the committee's original $995K cut, but the result is that the budget committee is taking a
darned good number to the school deliberative session for voters to consider. Thank you!
Because of these committee members' tireless efforts on behalf of our community, it appears Goffstown taxpayers will, for the first time in memory, be spared another year of
unnecessary school-side spending, and that we may actually see major changes in the way the school board comes up with its budget in the years to
come (if the voters also support the school
petition article in March).
Great job, folks! Thank you.
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