I have asked WalletHub what information they used for the City of Nashua NH to say it rates to make their list of best-run cities. Maybe they are looking at different information than is on the City of Nashua website.
I would like to talk to the financial expert on how they came up with this and I think that every resident would like to have that question answered.
I find this rating totally outrageous. Did the financial expert actually review anything that is actually happening in the City of Nashua, New Hampshire? Did they bother to review the website? Did they actually review the budgets? I think not.
Let me start by just stating some facts that residents need to know:
- Since 2016 the City of Nashua, NH has increased its budget from $289,969,249 to $331,577,345 for 2021 with the 2022 Budget at over $342 million dollars. That is an increase of 14.34% however I can tell you that the residents did not see that type of increase in their pay.
- Since 2016 the City of Nashua, NH has increased the Debt Service (mortgages) by $51,345,150. That is an increase of 13.14%.
- Since 2016 the City of Nashua, NH has increased that tax rate. That is an increase of 9.36% with another increase this year of 5%. Please note that the city had a reassessment in 2018 so there was no increase in the tax rate, just an increase in valuation.
- The City of Nashua, NH just increased all water and sewer rates by 35%.
- The City of Nashua, NH is just going through an abatement process for most of the commercial properties within the city. As of May 2021 the city has refunded $3,319,734 and has dropped the assessment on commercial properties by $65,182,790 and that is only through May 2021. The city of Nashua, NH expects to give out more refunds and to drop the commercial valuation even more. This burden will also fall on the Nashua taxpayers.
- The City of Nashua, NH is not willing to tell residents how many properties within the city are vacant. They are also not willing to tell residents of the properties owned by the city, how many are given a lease for $1.00 per year, and/or where the city is renting at such a low rental that the Nashua taxpayers are picking up the tab for these buildings.
- The City of Nashua, NH is not for coming with giving out information on how they must “give” money to any new developers in order for them to start any projects. One property developer just got $100,000 to start the project and another sweet deal on the no-parking penalty.
- The City of Nashua spent all the Cares Act money on items that they knew the State of New Hampshire would not reimburse. So, the City of Nashua, NH actually submitted the police salaries for August and September 2020 in order for them to keep the money.
- The City of Nashua is giving these new “TIP” programs out to developers in order for them to build within the city. The problem here is that the burden is being put on the Nashua taxpayers.
These are just a few things that come to mind when reviewing the management of the City of Nashua, NH.
So, my question is very simple – Did anyone from WalletHub actually review anything that the City of Nashua, NH is doing before they issue their awards?
Or did someone pay WalletHub off…