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Issues to Be Decided in 2020

January to March is Town Election Season. For election ballot details, go down to Ballot Details . For explanations of items on the Town and School Warrant, go to the Voter's Guide on the town web site.

This year there were several items on the town and school warrants to consider:

For 2020 the default budgets were all lower than the proposed budgets.

The 2020 Town Budget was about $102,000 more than last year and the Default budget was about $78,000 more than last year, so your checkbook would be better off if you voted for the Default budget.

The 2020 School Budget showed a significant increase despite the fact that the state gave them an aid increase of $613,265 for the 2020-21 school year. The 2020 school budget was $412,248 more than last year.

A recent document from the school board stated that the $185,034 difference between the 2020 proposed and default budgets equals a $126 tax increase on a $200,000 home. Based on that data, the $412,248 increase over last year's school budget equaled a $280 tax increase on that same $200,000 home. More state aid does not justify increasing the school budget.

If you took the proposed 2020-21 budget of $10,857,796 and divide it by the 540 enrolled students, that budget would cost you $20,107 per student, which was probably higher than any surrounding town. If you cherish your checkbook, you should have voted for the Default budget. If you cherish your students, it may be time to demand school vouchers for private schools.

School Warrant Article #2 requested approval of over $48,000 in raises for aids and School Warrant Article #4 sought approval of over $215,000 in raises for teachers over the next three years. The selectmen calculate raises for town employees once a year based on the federal cost of living assessment. The school board should try the same idea.

The 2020 Sewer Budget, which is paid by sewer rates and mostly by septage haulers, was about $18,625 more than last year, but the Default Budget was $22,326 less than last year, which made the Default budget look more attractive. Superintendent Jeff Backman explained that the decrease was due to changes in health plans as chosen by the employees. Keep in mind that about 80% of sewer revenue comes from the septage haulers, so rate payers are thus paying only 20% of the budget.

Zoning Warrant Articles – The Planning Board proposed several zoning ordinance changes that implement formatting standards for the Town Ordinances document, and clarified or corrected references in various sections.

Capital Reserve Funds – Several warrant articles proposed putting your unspent tax money (AKA the Unassigned Fund Balance) into several funds as a way to save for expensive one-time expenditures.

Petition Warrant Article – The final warrant article proposed going from a 3- to a 5-member Board of Selectmen. See the Town Warrant Articles page, article 24, for details.

Public Budget Events

Saturday January 18 at 9:00 a.m.
Budget Committee Public Hearing on the proposed budgets and warrant articles at the ARD School gym on School St.

January 22nd to January 31st
Candidate sign-up dates for town or school offices.

Feb. 1 (Saturday) at 9:00 a.m.
Deliberative Smackdown Session at ARD School gym (pre-Groundhog Day). Last chance to amend warrant articles.

Feb. 11 (Tuesday) at from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
2020 Presidential Primary at St. John's Parish Hall.

Tuesday March 10 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Town Election at St. John's Parish Hall on School St.

Election Results for 2020

Click on one of the following links to see who was elected and what budgets and warrant articles were approved.

 Summary of Election Results

 Town Warrant Articles

 Town Candidates

 School District Warrant Articles

 School District Candidates

Town Voters' Guide

Dept. of Revenue Tax Rates by Town since 2009
Click on "Tax Rates" for any year

Allenstown Tax Rate History since 1994. Ever increasing since 2004.