Nashua residents deserve a city government that is transparent, accountable, and respectful of the people it serves. Over the past several years, however, the City of Nashua’s financial administration has moved in the opposite direction, away from openness and toward practices that make it harder for residents to understand how their tax dollars are being used.
Since 2018, I have routinely reviewed the city’s financial reports to monitor spending, tax administration, and overall fiscal management. During that time, I worked closely with David Fredette, whose professionalism set a standard for public service. David welcomed questions, provided clear explanations, and even thanked residents when they identified errors. David Fredette’s approach demonstrated what genuine accountability looks like.
For several years, John Griffin operated with similar openness. He was direct, accessible, and willing to discuss what needed correction. That changed abruptly during the development of the Performing Arts Center. Once that project advanced and the public started asking questions and filing RTK requests, his willingness to engage with residents diminished. John Griffin’s shift marked the beginning of a broader decline in transparency.
The appointment of Dawn Enwright accelerated that decline. Ms. Enwright has already provided misleading information to the Board of Aldermen and has shown a clear unwillingness to meet with certain residents. I scheduled an appointment with her, arrived on time, and she refused to speak with me. I have since learned that I am not the only resident she avoids. This behavior is unacceptable from an official responsible for managing public financial records. Concerns about Dawn Enwright deserve serious attention.
Today, Nashua’s financial administration appears to be actively obstructing public oversight. When residents request financial records, the city responds with massive, unusable data dumps clearly designed to overwhelm and discourage further inquiry. This is not transparency; it is a tactic to hide information.
A recent example illustrates the severity of the problem. In April 2026, the city provided a detailed accounts receivable report totaling 1,156 lines. In response to my latest request, the city produced:
- 172,283 lines for accounts receivable
- 15,623 lines for lien properties
A total of 187,906 lines—more than 160 times the size of the previous report. No reasonable person can claim this is accidental. It is a deliberate attempt to bury residents in irrelevant data so they cannot identify:
- What property taxes are being written off
- Which properties are receiving special treatment
- What tax breaks are being quietly granted
Residents have a right to know how their tax dollars are being managed. They have a right to clear, accurate, and accessible financial information, not evasiveness, obstruction, and data manipulation and dumping.
Nashua’s government may hope residents stop asking questions. But I intend to ensure that every resident understands exactly how the city is handling public funds, and what it is trying to hide. Transparency is not optional. It is a fundamental obligation of public service.
