Citizen's drive attempting to put spending cap on ballot in Rochester: City manager looking for council to do same thing
Foster's Daily Democrat
May 2, 2008
The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition has drafted language for a cap that it wants to see on the city's November election ballot, and it has chosen Rochester as one of four places to kick things off.
The effort is expected to grow to 11 communities — including Portsmouth and Somersworth — and be fought by residents working the ballot initiative process.
Tom Hudson will lead the effort in Rochester while the task falls to Tim Logsdon in Somersworth.
Hudson, who has lived here five years, submitted the cap's proposed language to the City Clerk's office on Tuesday. The paperwork has to be checked out by several state agencies.
Barring any issues, Hudson and the coalition will need to garner almost 800 signatures — 20 percent of the 3,976 voters taking part in the past city election — to put the cap before voters in November.
The proposal, which would amend the city charter, would cap all local spending — including capital and debt payments — to the national consumer price index. It would take a two-thirds council vote to override the restrictions.
The cap would target spending, but there's also a tax component to it.
The proposal reads: "In establishing a municipal budget, the City Manager and City Council shall be allowed to assume an estimated property tax rate in an amount not to exceed the tax rate established during the prior fiscal year increased by a factor equal to the change in the National Consumer Price Index ... ."
City Manager John Scruton recently said he's looking to get the City Council to propose a spending cap in time for the September primary.
He and the coalition said their efforts are not coordinated, but the manager said the group's effort "affected my timing." He said it's better councilors "be in front on this rather than leaving it to outsiders."
Mayor John Larochelle has expressed support for a cap, but other councilors say it's an escape route that prevents them from making tough budgetary decisions.
"We know we have to do something with the spending. We have to control it. We have to do something about the $3.99" proposed tax rate hike, said Councilor Brian Labranche of Ward 1. "But is this the solution? I'm not sure. ... A cap is not good for growth."
Mike Biundo, the coalition chairman and a former Manchester legislator, said a cap will make elected officials' jobs easier.
"They're going to have to make some tough decisions, but they're also going to have a cap that's supported by the citizens behind them," he said.
In Rochester, over the last three years spending for non-capital operations has climbed an average of 5.6 percent. In Somersworth, general fund spending rose an average of 11 percent in that time.
Hudson, a politically active 31-year-old information technology professional, said a cap will keep elected officials in check.
"With the cost of everything increasing it's easy for the city government to pass those costs on to the citizens of the city," he said, "but I think by having this provision in place it will enable the city government to look at their budget and question before they willy-nilly sign a check and do what they want to do."
Logsdon, a former School Board member, said he will try to have the petition in to the city clerk by the end of this week.
Biundo said the effort is based in chartered communities where there's enough resident support to give a cap a shot.
"We believe spending is out of control in most cases in government across the state," he said. "Some communities are doing a better job in keeping spending low. The goal is not only to look at the present but also into the future and a spending cap helps protect members of a community for years to come."
The Manchester-based coalition is also eyeing Manchester, Merrimack, Londonderry, Conway, Keene, Concord, Lebanon and Bedford.
Foster's Daily Democrat
May 2, 2008
The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition has drafted language for a cap that it wants to see on the city's November election ballot, and it has chosen Rochester as one of four places to kick things off.
The effort is expected to grow to 11 communities — including Portsmouth and Somersworth — and be fought by residents working the ballot initiative process.
Tom Hudson will lead the effort in Rochester while the task falls to Tim Logsdon in Somersworth.
Hudson, who has lived here five years, submitted the cap's proposed language to the City Clerk's office on Tuesday. The paperwork has to be checked out by several state agencies.
Barring any issues, Hudson and the coalition will need to garner almost 800 signatures — 20 percent of the 3,976 voters taking part in the past city election — to put the cap before voters in November.
The proposal, which would amend the city charter, would cap all local spending — including capital and debt payments — to the national consumer price index. It would take a two-thirds council vote to override the restrictions.
The cap would target spending, but there's also a tax component to it.
The proposal reads: "In establishing a municipal budget, the City Manager and City Council shall be allowed to assume an estimated property tax rate in an amount not to exceed the tax rate established during the prior fiscal year increased by a factor equal to the change in the National Consumer Price Index ... ."
City Manager John Scruton recently said he's looking to get the City Council to propose a spending cap in time for the September primary.
He and the coalition said their efforts are not coordinated, but the manager said the group's effort "affected my timing." He said it's better councilors "be in front on this rather than leaving it to outsiders."
Mayor John Larochelle has expressed support for a cap, but other councilors say it's an escape route that prevents them from making tough budgetary decisions.
"We know we have to do something with the spending. We have to control it. We have to do something about the $3.99" proposed tax rate hike, said Councilor Brian Labranche of Ward 1. "But is this the solution? I'm not sure. ... A cap is not good for growth."
Mike Biundo, the coalition chairman and a former Manchester legislator, said a cap will make elected officials' jobs easier.
"They're going to have to make some tough decisions, but they're also going to have a cap that's supported by the citizens behind them," he said.
In Rochester, over the last three years spending for non-capital operations has climbed an average of 5.6 percent. In Somersworth, general fund spending rose an average of 11 percent in that time.
Hudson, a politically active 31-year-old information technology professional, said a cap will keep elected officials in check.
"With the cost of everything increasing it's easy for the city government to pass those costs on to the citizens of the city," he said, "but I think by having this provision in place it will enable the city government to look at their budget and question before they willy-nilly sign a check and do what they want to do."
Logsdon, a former School Board member, said he will try to have the petition in to the city clerk by the end of this week.
Biundo said the effort is based in chartered communities where there's enough resident support to give a cap a shot.
"We believe spending is out of control in most cases in government across the state," he said. "Some communities are doing a better job in keeping spending low. The goal is not only to look at the present but also into the future and a spending cap helps protect members of a community for years to come."
The Manchester-based coalition is also eyeing Manchester, Merrimack, Londonderry, Conway, Keene, Concord, Lebanon and Bedford.