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Editorials published by the
Goffstown Residents
Association are written by various members and
contributing non-members of the GRA. |
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October 17, 2008
GUEST EDITORIAL
A Financial Diet Plan for Goffstown
by Bill Gordon
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Goffstown taxpayers can no longer support the current life style of the town and the schools. In this economy and sky-high energy prices, we taxpayers are forced to tighten our financial belts more and more; however, for the schools and the town it is business as usual.
I call on the school board and the budget committee to send a strong message to the schools and the town departments. That message is to cut the proposed budgets by a minimum of ten percent at the bottom line. With personnel vacancies, over-estimating, unnecessary and "nice to have" equipment, facilities and services, there is easily that amount to shave off without cutting vital, needed services or lay offs. This is a crash diet to kick start prudent budgeting.
Goffstown and its schools are well above average - nationally, statewide and regionally. The level of protection from our emergency services is very highly rated - low crime rate, etc. For a town of our size, we are top notch.
I also call on the school administration and the town beginning in 2009 to voluntarily impose a budget cap mapping to federally published cost of living increases and periodically adjusted for tax base fluctuations. This would go a long way toward assuring that spending is more closely aligned with our ability to fund on a long-term basis. This is a maintenance diet for future budgets.
I encourage taxpayers and voters to please contact Goffstown's Town Administrator, Sue Desruisseaux
(sued@goffstownnh.gov) at 497-8990 extension
102 and SAU #19 Superintendent of Schools, Stacy Buckley
(sbuckley@goffstown.k12.nh.us) at 497-8425 extension 228 to campaign for action before the budgets for 2009 are solidified at the deliberative sessions in January.
I am a member of the Goffstown Budget Committee; therefore, you know you have me pushing for and supporting this effort.
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