Mayor Donchess has no interest in providing fact-based answers to citizens. He is all too comfortable misrepresenting information to the public, particularly when questioned. In the first Mayoral Debate last year against Mike Soucy, when questioned about the $7,108,850 Loan the City gave to NPAC Corp., a private corporation, the Mayor stated that no loan was given. Aldermen Klee piped up and said it was only a paper loan – No Mr. Mayor and Ms. Klee, real taxpayer money was paid from bond proceeds to a private company creating this loan.
During the June 17, 2024 FY24-25 Budget Hearing, Mayor Donchess was asked a question by Nashua taxpayer Bill Ferriero:
“On page 103 Other General Government, Appropriations Detail. There is a line item for rent Nashua Center for the Arts like $600K. Can you explain who we are paying rent to?”
Mayor Donchess’ reply:
“Well there is rent, but there is an offsetting distribution that comes and so the net is basically zero”
Another completely untruthful statement from our Mayor.
Bill Ferrio asked another question:
“So it was part of the New Market Credit Regulations”
Mayor Donchess:
“Yes”
Whoops, not true again.
First, it was not a requirement of the New Market Tax Credit transaction. There is no written document identifying the money the Corporations will “give back” to the City. Nashua taxpayers were scammed out of at least $34M, period.
In 2023, Nashua taxpayers paid $177,186.16 in rent (the Arts Center opened on April 1, 2023). In 2024, Nashua taxpayers paid $670,942.71 in rent. That is a total of $848,128,87 in rent. The City received $0 back for distributions from the shell company corporations.
These figures do not include the $165,000 annual rental equipment contract the City committed the taxpayers to, even though Nashua taxpayers paid $2,450,000 upfront for the equipment. So thanks to Mayor Donchess the Nashua taxpayers are paying double for the equipment for the Arts Center.
The guaranteed construction cost for this Arts Center was not $15.5 Million. Citizens account for the construction of the arts center totals over $34 million, but we do not really know the total cost as the City and the Corporations refuse to provide that information. It is time for Nashau taxpayers to demand accountability for our money.
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