Baldasaro pushing for Londonderry tax cap
The Union Leader
May 12, 2008
LONDONDERRY – Similar to petitions filed in nearby communities, a group here is looking to directly tie any increase in taxes to the federal Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation.
The 3,500-member conservative New Hampshire Advantage Coalition has this year backed similar petitions in Manchester, Concord, Rochester, Merrimack and Somersworth.
Chairman Michael Biundo, a veteran conservative activist and former state representative, said there are plans to also present the idea to voters in Conway, Portsmouth, Keene, Lebanon and Bedford.
In Londonderry, setting a tax cap based on CPI would require a charter change, an effort Republican state Rep. Al Baldasaro said last week he would spearhead. On Wednesday, Baldasaro presented Town Manager Dave Caron with a draft petition that would establish the cap.
"There's a lot of people in our town struggling," Baldasaro said. "If you take a look at most of our homes, there's two people working in there to keep their homes. That's because of the taxes we have here."
Caron said the town's attorney would look over the draft and get back to Baldasaro this week so he could start the formal process of obtaining voter signatures. Baldasaro said he plans to collect about 2,400 signatures.
One resident, C.C. Mitchell, has already signed the petition.
"I think anything which limits the increase in spending is a good thing," he said. "At the same time, I'm not certain that it's really necessary because I think the town councilors are working hard to keep spending down and thus keep the taxes down."
But, citing the school district's desire for a multi-million-dollar auditorium, he added: "I don't know about the school board because they do some wacky things."
As currently written, Baldasaro's petition would not affect school spending, or about 60 percent of the tax bill paid by landowners in 2007. The town government, which Baldasaro's proposal is aimed at, accounted for less than 25 percent. Compared to 2006, the bill for local education went up by 1.1 percent last year. The bill for the town government went down by 1.4 percent.
The consumer price index was up 4 percent in March compared to the same time last year, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Union Leader
May 12, 2008
LONDONDERRY – Similar to petitions filed in nearby communities, a group here is looking to directly tie any increase in taxes to the federal Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation.
The 3,500-member conservative New Hampshire Advantage Coalition has this year backed similar petitions in Manchester, Concord, Rochester, Merrimack and Somersworth.
Chairman Michael Biundo, a veteran conservative activist and former state representative, said there are plans to also present the idea to voters in Conway, Portsmouth, Keene, Lebanon and Bedford.
In Londonderry, setting a tax cap based on CPI would require a charter change, an effort Republican state Rep. Al Baldasaro said last week he would spearhead. On Wednesday, Baldasaro presented Town Manager Dave Caron with a draft petition that would establish the cap.
"There's a lot of people in our town struggling," Baldasaro said. "If you take a look at most of our homes, there's two people working in there to keep their homes. That's because of the taxes we have here."
Caron said the town's attorney would look over the draft and get back to Baldasaro this week so he could start the formal process of obtaining voter signatures. Baldasaro said he plans to collect about 2,400 signatures.
One resident, C.C. Mitchell, has already signed the petition.
"I think anything which limits the increase in spending is a good thing," he said. "At the same time, I'm not certain that it's really necessary because I think the town councilors are working hard to keep spending down and thus keep the taxes down."
But, citing the school district's desire for a multi-million-dollar auditorium, he added: "I don't know about the school board because they do some wacky things."
As currently written, Baldasaro's petition would not affect school spending, or about 60 percent of the tax bill paid by landowners in 2007. The town government, which Baldasaro's proposal is aimed at, accounted for less than 25 percent. Compared to 2006, the bill for local education went up by 1.1 percent last year. The bill for the town government went down by 1.4 percent.
The consumer price index was up 4 percent in March compared to the same time last year, according to the most recent data available from the U.S. Department of Labor.