Amicus Brief for Tax Caps [PDF]

Let’s wait until the recession lets up
Concord city budget hearings begin Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. This annual balancing act will be particularly important to property taxpayers this year.

There is already an expectation among city movers and shakers that the 2011 budget will demand a property tax increase. The rumored increases range from 3 to 10 percent. Some will justify these increases because the city held last year’s budget to a modest 2.5 percent tax increase (largely because of those purple trash bags) and because in the intervening year municipal service costs have risen, capital projects cannot be postponed and the city and county governments have been forced to shoulder more of the state government’s fiscal responsibilities because of the recession. I disagree.

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The plan involves consolidating eight elementary schools to four, at a price tag of about $67 million (plus interest, for a total of somewhere between $100 million and $124 million). There is no consensus in the community about this plan but actually, a great divide between different interests.

Because there are many unanswered questions, the Concord Taxpayers Association has put together a forum to try and educate the public about the plan. The forum will be held on Thursday, Dec. 17, from 6:30 to 9:00 PM at the Draft’s newly renovated upstairs meeting room at 67 S. Main St. School officials will be on hand to make a presentation about the plan and will be available to answer any and all questions you may have.

In addition, because we are getting the room for free, please consider having dinner or drinks at the Draft before or after the meeting. Many of us will be socializing afterwards too. We hope that you’ll attend.

Related articles

Here are some online articles that cover the issue of the elementary school consolidation plan:

School Architects Release Schematic
Concord Monitor
Concord Monitor

Bond hearings

The School District will be holding a number of meetings about the bonding of its $67 million consolidation scheme. Here are some dates where members of the public can attend and express their concerns or feelings about the project and its costs:

Monday, Dec. 7, 6:00 PM – Public hearing on the bond to finance elementary consolidation plan at 16 Rumford St.

Monday, Dec. 21, 6:00 PM – Special board meeting to vote on elementary designs at 16 Rumford St.

Monday, Dec. 22, 6:00 PM – Special board meeting to vote on bond at 16 Rumford St.

The commission will be deciding one of three options:

1) Not to change things and allow the Legislature to continue to run the school board charter (This option is not likely since most people realize that the Legislature shouldn’t be controlling the school charter and legislative leaders want out of Concord’s business too).

2) Recommend to the Legislature that a charter commission be created to study what to do with the charter (This seems to be favored by those members connected to the school system since it will extend the process into 2011 or 2013 without any changes to the charter).

3) Recommend to the Legislature that a 49B amendment be added to the charter which will give residents the ability to change the charter via initiative petition (This is the proposal put forth by Douglas and is supported by some members).

After last Thursday’s meeting, there is clearly some push back from members of the commission about whether or not Concord citizens should be able to control their school board charter via initiative petition. We really need members of the community to reach out to commission members and tell them what they think is best.

Please send notes of concern to State Rep. Rick Watrous at scout2803@comcast.net, and he can then pass it on to the commission members.