Neon vacancy sign

SMITH: The Filling Of School Board Vacancies

On 11/5/19, the local useful idiots came out in droves to do the NTU’s bidding.  Among those deeds were reinstalling Alderman Dowd and the mayor, ousting Howard Coffman and Doris from the school board, and passing a ballot question that removed every private citizen’s right to vote by way of abolishing special elections.  The elimination … Read more

Suncook valley taxpayer espsom towne election

SMITH: Epsom Candidates’ Forum Report And My Picks

I attended my 2nd annual local candidates’ forum, which not all candidates attended, at the library.  As Alderman Dowd’s opponent in 2023 and declining the League of Women Voters’ invitation to the Nashua library for such an event, I am not in a position to judge anyone for being absent.  However, I will judge one … Read more

Epsom school pic

SMITH: Will Epsom Truly Comply With The Students First Act?

With town elections less than two weeks away in most communities, it’s a good time to remind everyone of the Students First Act, originally known as SB219 and later codified in HB1265.  It was quietly signed by the Damn Emperor two summers ago and is now RSA 189:76. However, like some of those election security reform bills, … Read more

SMITH: Say NO to TIFs in Epsom

There’s going to be a warrant article in Epsom that asks the voters if TIFs (Tax Increment Financing) should be allowed.  You might already be thinking this article isn’t for you, but stay with me here, especially if you live in a town that doesn’t currently have TIFs, because the discussion of them might be … Read more

Smith: Urban Government “Customer Service” vs. Rural

On the heels of much internet chatter regarding increased vehicle registration fees, presumably in exchange for abolishing the sticker tax, a few things inspired me to revisit an article I wrote 11 months ago.  They were a recent property tax due date, followed by Beth Scaer posting a picture of her ready-to-mail payment envelope (not … Read more

Smith: Is Epsom Like Nashua?

What a ridiculous question it might be to ask if a red town has something in common with a blue city, especially if I make the question about 91A, but without the unpleasantness often involved in its pursuits.  Every community’s operating budget has its own greedy monster, the schools, consuming about 70% of the funds, … Read more

A Disturbing First Impression of Dr O’Sullivan

Being a newcomer to Epsom with less than a month to town elections (which we know is the most important level of government regarding property taxes), time was of the essence in finding out who to not/vote for.  Coming from a city that has local elections every other November, it’s a new environment that allows … Read more

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