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Merrimack, NH


This page was last updated on 07/10/06.


On April 11, 2006, voters radically changed the way business is going to run in the town, and they elected an entirely new group of people to run it. Many of the people chosen are part of the the same group that took over the school board in 1994. The group is named Merrimack Cares. The elections were won the same way they were won in 1994, in the name of lower taxes. The group now controls The Board of Selectman and the Budget Committee. It's interesting that the Budget Committee now will make recommendations only on school issues, the one group that Merrimack Cares does not currently control (they hold the minority right now 2-3).  Expect to hear a lot about them over the next few years!

The group was very careful to recommend passing of all school issues. However, they recommended their candidates to the two open school board positions, one of which was elected.

Hopefully this group has learned something since 1994. Their rise to power is about taxes. It is NOT about conservative social and religious values.

THIS IS THE PLACE TO SEE WHERE MERRIMACK IS HEADED IN 2006 and beyond.

Let's hope we are not going to go through 1994 all over again

Dave comments:
The election took me by surprise. Obviously the town is not happy with the way tax money was handled in the past few years. Merrimack received a windfall when the state property tax favored taxing the Seacoast more heavily a few years ago. I predicted that it was only temporary and that it would swing back the other way. The selectman chose to not return the entire windfall back to the taxpayers of Merrimack at that time. I content that was the beginning of the end for the current BOS. Now that the pengilum has swung back this way taxpayers were faced with a huge tax increase. In additon, the BOS has been holding on to a large chunk of change. I don't know the details and perhaps that was the smart thing to do. The failure of the BOS was in not disclosing the details of what they were doing.  All surplus will now be returned to the taxpayers. In addition, now that the town voted to return the library savings account, that will be returned as well. That means there will be no surplus. In additon, 3% of last years budget has been cut without regard to what that means. With the cost of inflation and the higher fuel costs, that reduction is probably in the 6 to 7 percent range. It sounds pretty scary. On the other hand, its been proven over the years, that the only thing you can count on is change itself. It's going to be interesting!

The election of the remaining two councilors in June 2006 is interesting. The two that were chosen are the two that were NOT recommended by Merrimack Cares.  It is too early to tell if that is meaningful, but the current councilors should take notice that they need to exercise caution before making any radical changes.

If you have articles or any news please send it my way!


Related News Articles

March 14, 2006, Merrimack Connection, Single vote determines cut in Town's proposed operating budget (actual link)
April 11, 2006, Merrimack Cares Voter Guide (see who they support)
April 13, 2006, Town Election Results (pdf)
April 13, 2006, Nashua Telegraph (ed), Merrimack change will be profound (actual link)
April 13, 2006, Merrimack Journal, A near-sweep for anti-tax group (actual link)
April 14, 2006. Nashua Telegraph, Mower cuts ties with selectmen (actual link)
April 16, 2006. Nashua Telegraph, Town debates its fate (actual link)
April 18, 2006. Nashua Telegraph, New-look school board shapes up in Merrimack (actual link)
*** April 18, 2006. Merrimack Connection, Election Results
April 18, 2006. Merrimack Connection, Merrimack's Tea Party (actual link)
April 20, 2006, Nashua Telegraph, Selectmen pick McCray for chairman (actual link)
April 21, 2006. Nashua Telegraph, Selectmen begin process of slashing town budget (actual link)
April 27, 2006. Nashua Telegraph, Spending cuts top mandate (actual link)
April 28, 2006. Nashua Telegraph, Board votes in mall foe (actual link)
July 04, 2006. Merrimack Connection, Mahon and Rothhaus elected to Town Council (actual link)




Merrimack Links

Merrimack Home Page (official)
Merrimack School District
Merrimack Public Library
Team Merrimack US First Page
Merrimack Building & Planning
Merrimack Chamber Of Comm
Nashua Telegraph (local paper)
Mike's Merrimack Page


 

E-mail me at dave@markson.net