Rational Taxpayers of Hampton want you to vote: Hampton Letters
Rational Taxpayers of Hampton want you to vote
To the Editor:
As usual, the 2020 national election saw some 11,000 Hampton voters turnout to cast their ballots. While that is a wonderful exercise of our franchise to elect our leaders it really has little impact on Hampton. Why do so many people vote in November yet leave the decisions on the town to a small percentage of the population? Only 3-4,000 voters (especially town workers when their interests are at stake) decide the economic fate of 16,000, which is either utter negligence or supreme confidence in the voters who do show up to vote.
What are the causes of such a disparity?
First, we are inundated with political information and candidate advertising on national and world events so when we vote it is a quick in and out process. At the Hampton level, it takes a concerted effort to delve into the issues. Frankly, most people really don’t care or want to be bothered as long as the streets are paved, the Rec Department has activities, and we have police, fire and ambulance protection. That leads us to question as to whether it’s time to change our form of government by creating term limits with our selectmen to allow fresh faces and thinking.
Secondly, Hampton’s warrant articles read the dead sea scrolls it is not written for the common man. At the beginning one must wade through SAU and Winnacunnet Cooperative School warrants and then decide who to vote for on the various positions in local government from a list of names that most folks don’t know. There is a tendency for legal prose and statute referencing so the warrants are boring and confusing. The warrants begin with planning ordinance changes that’s a snooze fest that eventually leads to the meat and potatoes on spending. Unfortunately, with 41 towns warrants, 7 for the schools and 14 positions for office that’s a lot to look at. However, this year the Planning Board surprised us with two noteworthy warrants that voters should weigh in on.
Warrant Article 7: The Planning Board has taken an action affecting community standards by limiting offensive language signage to a set number of days. Somewhere in this century we have lost our way and it seems anything goes under the guise of freedom of speech. We think this issue merits the public getting off their couches and going to the polls. Vote.
Perfectly legal: 'F--- OFF' sign in Hampton irks neighbors, could lead to zoning change
Warrant Article 8: The Planning Board is dictating the use of the acreage along I-95 where the State Liquor Commission wants to develop their property to build a hotel and non-profit casino. The Planning Board has rejected this and wants to dictate the kinds of businesses that can be developed. It was obvious that the Planning Board wants drivers to exit at Hampton and use the casinos on the beach and to stay at local hotels. One might think they are noble to protect Hampton, or one might think that this is government overreach interfering with private enterprise. So, does this becomes a question of government overreach or community control? You decide, so vote. This is so much more interesting than standards and rules on domesticated chickens (warrant Article 5).
This year in Hampton we have carryover from the national election infiltrating our March election which should inspire residents to vote. With the hysteria about voter fraud and allegations about inaccurate voting machine counts capturing the public eye, conspiracy theorists have polarized the country and have done a wonderful job dividing us. One local selectperson, Regina Barnes, has sponsored, with her followers, two warrant articles (39 and 40) dealing with hand-counting votes and eliminating the use of computerized voter counting machines. She has cited a couple of discrepancies in published articles, and she makes a logical point and has raised our consciousness about the issue which is a good thing if it gets more people out to vote. Unfortunately, these warrants offer an alternate solution to a non-existent problem that would be costly to the taxpayers. But that is for you to decide if you vote.
Selectperson Barnes has done a great job and bucks the trend, she is detailed oriented, cares greatly about Hampton and stands up for her rights and principles although overwhelmed by other board members. We don’t necessarily agree with her all the time but we sure respect that she is steadfast in her concerns. So, if you have an opinion on voting machines versus hand counting, vote.
Thus, a group like ours produces the Yellow Sheet to wade through all of this and to make recommendations. Some like this, some don’t, most don’t care, but we do impact the voting by helping those that do vote wade through the process. We try to be prudent and conservative and look for value.
Oh yes finally, there are numerous spending articles that are noteworthy and are the product of our new leadership at the top in Hampton, many of the warrants don’t add to your taxes but if you don’t vote you cannot be a voice for change.
Do you get the hint? Vote.
Norman Silberdick
Spokesman for the Rational Taxpayers of Hampton
Gargiulo running for Hampton Falls selectman
To the Editor:
I am pleased to announce that I have decided to stand for re-election as your Hampton Falls selectman.
I am running because I believe that by working collaboratively with Ed Beattie and Mark Lane, I can continue to make a significant contribution to the continued improvement of our town government. Our equitable leadership has led to increased productivity, and improved decision efficiencies. This interaction benefits the residents, the town’s staff, and all of our town departments.
For my first term as selectman, I proudly served the town of Hampton Falls. I have taken the concerns of the residents seriously and have done my utmost as a board member to take decisive actions to address their interests in a respectful, positive, and proactive manner. I have strived to create a level of civility in town and have endeavored to make our town government as transparent as possible.
In addition to being a selectman, I am also the president & CEO of Great North Property Management, Inc., which is New England's largest and well-respected real estate management organization. I am also an entrepreneur and real estate investor in New Hampshire. I have been the recipient of many recognitions and awards for my work and above all for my philanthropic efforts in the Seacoast area. I will continue with my philanthropic legacy by donating the entire selectman’s stipend to town causes and infrastructure as I have done over the past three years.
If I can assist in any way or answer any questions, please feel free to contact me. I can be reached at 603-222-3500.
I thank you for allowing me to serve you and I respectfully ask for your vote on March 8, 2022.
Lou Gargiulo
Hampton Falls
Live, freeze and die
To the Editor:
Last year, 4,451 people in New Hampshire experienced homelessness and of those, 1,577 were in families. The real numbers are much higher, since reports do not count those who are staying with friends’ and family or, because of COVID, are sleeping in cars, storage units, and campers or trailers. Chronically homeless numbers are increasing. 60% of N.H. homeless are in unsheltered rural areas. Reliance on cars, a tight housing market, and wages that aren’t enough to pay N.H.’s high rents are making it worse. There are many causes that lead to homelessness, but housing is the only solution.
Multi-racial and Black/African American are four times more likely to be homeless in N.H. because they inherited a legacy of discrimination that denied fair access to the American Dream.
It’s not just New Hampshire, the homeless problem is across the United States and it’s spreading like wildfire. But states like Massachusetts are facing it head-on by renovating old hotels and hospitals into safe havens for homeless people. It seems that many folks these days are more worried about voting rights, but can you imagine not being able to vote because you don’t even have an address?
We are proud to live in a community who give so generously. Relying on the private sector has its benefits but using business models to solve social problems often means more energy on getting grants instead of ending the cycle. The homeless end up being the product instead of the client.
We can learn how to make smart investments to end homelessness through Community Action Agencies (www.capnh.org) and the New Hampshire Coalition to End Homelessness (www. www.nhceh.org).
Jewel Reid & Katherine Harake
Hampton
Elections have consequences
To the Editor:
Well, well, well. Shutting down the Canada/United States pipeline is not only having disastrous repercussions here in America, it is affecting the security of the world.
Germany along with many other countries throughout Europe and the world are dependent on Russian oil making them less likely to speak out against Russian aggression. In fact, even the United States imports Russian oil.
If memory serves me right, President Trump and other Republicans warned this would happen when Biden, through Executive Order, shut down the pipeline from Canada to the United States. In that one incoherent move, American energy independence was canceled, inflation was born, jobs were eliminated, and the world became less safe.
Instead of selling oil to the world, the United States is now buying oil from the world. Biden, last November, compounded the problem by using our emergency petroleum reserves to lower the price rise in gas and fuel oil that his actions caused. At the same time, Biden foolishly asked other nations to step up their oil production. Nice going Joe.
Americans are wondering why electric, food, gas, fuel oil, and other prices are soaring. Well, elections have consequences. Unfortunately, the consequence this time could be deadly now that over 8,000 troops are being positioned to come face to face with Russian troops on the Ukrainian border.
Dolores Souto Messner
Hampton
Protect yourself, others by getting vaccinated for COVID-19
To the Editor:
The poliovirus is a contagious infection that presented often with flu-like symptoms. Seventy percent of infected individuals didn’t have symptoms, but they could pass it on to others. At its most severe, the poliovirus could infect the brain, nerves and spinal cord. There is no cure for polio, but vaccines were effective at preventing outbreaks.
Despite some hiccups initially with development of an effective vaccine, the Sabin oral polio vaccine was tested and licensed between 1959-1963 and more than 10 million children received that vaccine during that timeframe. Thanks to the vaccine, polio was officially declared eradicated in the Americas in 1994.
My grandfather had polio and it caused paralysis of both of his arms. Fortunately, his paralysis did eventually resolve. When I was in the fourth grade, my best friend’s sister had polio and it caused permanent crippling of her legs.
COVID-19 has been with us since December 2019. We are fortunate that modern science was able to develop vaccines to help stem the tide of this virus which for far too many has been deadly. However, just as with the poliovirus, it may take years before it is eradicated—or it may be with us forever—it is difficult to determine currently. Vaccines ideally will help to prevent infections or ongoing mutations of the virus. When I hear people say they are “over COVID-19”, I think baby you may be over it, but it ain’t over. Stay strong. Get vaccinated.
Donna Pare
Stratham
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Rational Taxpayers of Hampton want you to vote: Hampton NH Letters
