More on the meme – is the use of property taxes really charity? (earlier here and here). From the Laconia Citizen, 1/14: Rebuttal to Laura DiFonzo
By all means, all of the charities (which you call service organizations) you list do good work; no one on the Gilford Selectboard or Budget Committee have stated otherwise. What they have said, if I maybe so bold (as I am an elected Budget Committee member but do not speak for the Committee here), is that it is rightfully up to the citizens of Gilford to make that decision, via the ballot box, whether or not to use their tax money AND that of their neighbors’ to support them.
Personally, I am against the practice of sending tax monies and plan on voting no on these warrant articles. Why? I do not have the hubris to demand that my neighbor, or my fellow citizens in Gilford, to be forced to support any given charity no matter how good the intention even if I believe they should. At that point, it is no longer charity – it is forced giving. Charity is an act of individual kindness and responsibility; using tax monies is neither. Someone is declaring their disrespect for the property of others (i.e., their money) when they advocate someone else’s money should be used for a purpose that they might not otherwise support.
It should be up to the individuals of the town to make their own decisions whether or not to reach into their own wallets and no one else’s. Ms. DiFonzo asks the question of "what is a NH Citizen to do?" The answer is exactly what she is doing – as a United Way volunteer who works diligently to persuade individuals to be charitable and part with their money for her cause, she asks individuals as it should be.
Is she now advocating that people should no longer have a choice in how their money is to be spent? Does she believe that politicians should now be in charge of who receives charity – and who doesn’t? And by her Letter, is she signifying that all should be forced to give to those she supports?
In my estimation, these charities have lost their way and have become too professionalized as well as too dependent upon government monies. Perhaps, as the United Way does, they should return to the roots of charitable contributions – seeking funding from the actual public instead of from the individual town Public Treasuries.
From the Laconia Citizen, 1/14:
Editor, The Citizen: I’m writing to you today as a proud Lakes Region citizen, where I feel service organizations such as Community Health & Hospice (Central NH VNA & Hospice), Genesis Behavioral Health, New Beginnings and Child and Family Services, as well as many others, play an integral role in creating a healthy, thriving, growing Lakes Region community.
I am absolutely appalled at what I read in the newspaper this morning about the Selectmen and Budget Committee members in the town of Gilford saying "no to agency funding". Is this TRUE? Is this actually happening in our Lakes Region towns?
Do people truly not recognize the value these service organizations bring to our citizens, and the impact their denial of support for their cause could have to the entire Lakes Region community?
I’m disheartened at the state of mind people are evidently taking, likely using the economy as a scapegoat. Cutting support for organizations providing social and health & human services is not the answer!
I’m asking what a NH Citizen can effectively do to make sure other towns don’t follow suit in this horrible display? We desperately need the continued services of these organizations in the Lakes Region and even more so in this economy!
How can the Selectmen and Budget Committee in Gilford deny that fact and support an effort to close the door on funding that helps sustain the valuable community programs that these organizations provide?
What is one person to do to combat the unawareness from spreading and taking hold? If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
In the meantime, one can only hope the Gilford voters will ignore the recommendations of their Selectmen and Budget Committee in this instance, and instead seek the cause in support of the greater good.
Laura DiFonzo
Moultonborough
