| Article |
Description |
Hint |
Results |
| Article 1 |
Elect Town Officials
There are 12 open slots this year. The major ones are for Selectman, Sewer Commissioner, Road Agent, and 4 for Budget Committee. The final slate is posted on the 2019 Town Candidates page.
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VOTE |
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| Article 2 |
Town Budget
The 2019 proposed town budget of $3,984,023 is $16,404 less than the default and only $21,463 (+0.5%) more than the voter approved 2018 budget. Thus the proposed budget looks like a better choice.
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YES |
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| Article 3 |
Sewer Budget
The proposed sewer budget of $2,280,567 is $34,000 (1.5%) more than last year's approved budget. The default sewer budget is $4,422 less than the proposed budget, which is not much. Thanks to the four unloading stations built for the septage haulers, the 2018 income from those septage haulers was about $1,837,380, which means the sewer plant almost pays for itself and is thus able to keep sewer rates low.
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YES |
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| Article 4 |
Fire Safety Equipment Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $10,000 to this fund, which is for purchasing very expensive items like Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) for fire fighters. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 5 |
Library Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $5,082 to this fund, which is to be used for construction and maintenance issues beyond budgeted items. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 6 |
Public Safety Facilities Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $20,000 to this fund, which is to be used for the repair or renovation of the police and fire department facilities. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 7 |
Streetlight Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $6,500 to this fund, which is to be used for repairs to town street lights. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 8 |
Landfill Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $6,800 to this fund, which is to be used for annual water quality testing at the town landfill. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 9 |
Highway Equipment Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $51,500 to this fund, which is to be used to purchase vehicles or equipment for the Highway Dept. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 10 |
Town Building/Maintenance Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $10,000 to this fund which is to be used for major maintenance of, or repairs to, town buildings. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 11 |
Economic Development Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $15,000 to this fund, which is to be used for economic development related efforts, including replacement of Town Line Welcome Signs and other Economic Development Projects. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 12 |
Assessing Valuation Update Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $16,800 to this fund, which is to pay for our constitutional and statutory requirement that town property is to be assessed at full and true value at least every five years. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 13 |
Repurpose Recreation Capital Reserve Fund
This article redirects funds from this old fund to the fund in Article 14.
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YES |
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| Article 14 |
Parks and Recreation Projects Capital Reserve Fund
This article adds $10,000 to this fund, which is to be used to purchase land for recreational use, and also cover the costs of facilities and infrastructure for Parks and Recreation projects. Funding for this article is to come from the unassigned fund balance and will not affect the tax rate.
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YES |
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| Article 15 |
Storm Water Asset Management Plan
This article seeks to raise and spend $30,000 on a stormwater asset management plan, but also apply for a state grant to cover the cost. Read the actual warrant article -- it's a bit complicated. This is also very similar to Article 13 from 2017, which was for $30,000 for a Sewer Asset Management Project.
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YES |
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| Article 16 |
Keno Operation
This article asks voters to approve Keno gambling, a lottery type game. This is another not so great way to raise taxes by appealing to people's baser instincts. Gambling plays on people's desire to "get rich quick" -- especially people who should be saving their money and not wasting it on lottery tickets. The end (money for schools) does not justify the means (taking it from lower income people).
According to the Lottery Commission, 8% of the proceeds goes to the licensee, who must pay a $500 annual fee, 1% goes toward gambling treatment programs, and 91% (minus expenses) goes toward public school funding. The lottery commission does not tell you how much goes toward prizes or why only 1% is devoted toward treatment of gambling addiction.
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NO |
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| Article 17 |
POW Free Auto Registration
This article offers a waiver of the vehicle registration fee for anyone who was a Prisoner of War for 30 or more days. This and the next two articles deserve your support as a way to honor the men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces.
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YES |
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| Article 18 |
All Veterans' Tax Credit
This article offers a $500 tax credit to veterans of the US Armed Forces who served at least 90 days.
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YES |
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| Article 19 |
NH Combat Service Credit
This article offers a $250 tax credit to any member of the US Armed Forces who was in combat service during the tax year. This is in place of the All Veterans' Credit in Article 18.
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YES |
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