Editorials published by the Goffstown Residents
Association are written by various members and
contributing non-members of the GRA.

Last Saturday, an article appeared in the New Hampshire Union Leader about our organization.  

Entitled "Tax Group vigilant in Goffstown" (click here to read the article), the article described the efforts the GRA has undertaken in the past and its current concerns over Goffstown's unsustainable tax rates.

Within 48 hours of its publication, the GRA welcomed seven new members to its fold.  And following Wednesday night's budget committee public hearing, two more residents joined us.

All of them expressed concerns over out-of-control spending, especially by the school district. And many also indicated that the ability to make themselves heard anonymously contributed to their decisions to join.

Here is a sampling of the comments made by two of our new members:

• "I just learned about you in todays Union Leader. I would love to join the GRA. I think there is a lot of school and some town budget that could be cut. I want to stay in my home when I retire in 20 years but as my taxes keep doubling every 6 to 7 years, it does not look good for me. Please put my name on the new members list for me. Thank you."
  
  
• "My husband and I do not like what is going on in Goffstown and want to be heard. By joining, can we send letters without adding our names? The Goffstown News requires that, but we have two children in the school system."

For anyone considering joining us, here are a few facts about the Goffstown Residents Association:

• As of Thursday morning, the GRA email distribution list stands at 468.
  
  
• Over the years, the membership count has fluctuated. Certain issues have often spawned membership growth, and at other times, members have disagreed with positions we've promoted and asked to be "taken off the list."
  
  
• We haven't held a member "meeting" since 2006 - too difficult to plan, coordinate, and execute. As it's turned out, email and telephone calls seem to work just as well for keeping everyone up to date.
  
  
• With the exception of the Board of Selectmen, there are one or more members of the GRA on every single elected board and committee in Goffstown. In addition, there are one or more members employed by the Police Dept., Fire Dept., DPW, town administration, school district, library, parks & rec, etc., etc.
  
  
• The GRA website affords visitors the service of submitting their email addresses for automatic notification of updates to the site. There are currently 91 subscribers to that service. Of the 91, 18 are not from Goffstown, and of those 18, 7 are from out of state (former residents perhaps?).
  
  
• As for WHO the members are, the only publicly-known and acknowledged members are the original "Founding-Four", being Guy Caron, Collis Adams, Kurt Lauer and Frank Humphrey. As for the remaining 464, that information is not, and never will be, made available for public consumption. Should a member decide to claim membership, that is their prerogative. When we publish a "Member Editorial" that includes the member's name, it is because we were asked to include it. 
  
  
• As for WHY we do not publish the membership list, I'm sure you can surmise the reasons.  The GRA chairman is the only one who maintains a formal membership list, which is not shared with anyone - including other members.  The list is maintained for contact purposes only.  This is because many of our members who contribute articles and editorials would not do so if their names were associated with those articles and editorials for fear of reprisals.
  
   

We look forward to continued growth and to providing a retribution-free outlet for residents to make their voices heard!  

Membership is free.  To join us, please send an email to GRA@GoffstownResidentsAssociation.com .

  More Editorials  >>>

  Copyright©2010, Goffstown Residents Association.  All Rights Reserved.