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February 21, 2008
To the Editor:
In the Feb. 7 issue of the Meredith News were two letters in support of SB2. I wish to thank the authors of those letters for their continued efforts to make the voting public aware of this Senate Bill and its benefits.
As a resident and taxpayer in the town of Moultonboro, I am very much in support of SB2. I voted for it last year and I will certainly vote for it again this coming March. For me personally, SB2 holds one great benefit. It would provide me with the ability to cast my vote for each and every warrant article on the proposed yearly budget. I would not have to make sure that I attended the Town Meeting to express my vote or opinion on a particular warrant article or even the whole budget for that matter and then hope or assume that my hand is counted accordingly. With SB2, my vote, for or against, can and will be counted, period!
The town meeting this coming March is going to be an especially important one for me and I am sure for many other residents and taxpayers who are concerned with keeping our town budget and our tax rate at an affordable level. Of the many articles to be discussed and voted on at this year's meeting will be items for the proposed multimillion dollar community/senior center, any expense for which I am adamantly against.
Personally, I am more concerned with being able to maintain the expenses I already have. Expenses like my mortgage, current property taxes, federal taxes, insurances, heating fuel, groceries, home maintenance, medical, dental, vehicle payment, gasoline and maintenance. The only thing I have run out of in that list is money. Having my property taxes increase by any amount, whether estimated or projected, to support a town-owned country club, festooned with a rooftop walking track and wooded paths where people can walk their pets, disguised behind a sign that says Community/Senior Center is not a priority to me. It's a ridiculous luxury and an expense that I can't afford!
Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend this year's Town Meeting to express my opinion on this particular article, although the previous paragraph clearly states my feelings. I only wish that SB2 was currently in place so that I would have the opportunity to cast an official vote on all of this year's various warrant articles and budget, anonymously or otherwise.
Absentee ballots are available for those people who are unable to attend the polls on Election Day; this absentee ballot allows us the opportunity to still cast our vote for elected officials. This ability is a great benefit, but one that we can improve upon. I feel that it is just as important if not more so, that all taxpayers and voting residents have the ability and the opportunity to express where and how their tax dollars are spent, whether or not they can, can't, do or don't attend their Town Meeting. SB2 would give us all that ability. SB2 would give all of us a voice and a choice that many of us currently don't have, for whatever our reasons may be. With public awareness, continued support and your vote, hopefully SB2 will come to Moultonboro. I support SB2 and I wish to thank the Moultonboro Citizens' Alliance and its members for their vigilance and educational efforts. Keep up the good work making a difference.
Mark E. Lamprey
Moultonboro
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