-- by Ed Naile
Here is a reverse time-line for the new Bedford school construction “Plan” voted in last year. Where have all the supporters gone? And whatever happened to “Build It And They Will Come.”?
Home Sales for ZIP Code 03110 Bedford NH
Month-Year #Sales Average Sale Price
02-2006 2 $306,000.00
01-2006 40 $424,000.00 taxpayers find out school will cost $60 million
12-2005 19 $438,000.00
11-2005 51 $466,000.00
10-2005 48 $428,000.00
09-2005 34 $501,000.00
08-2005 46 $560,000.00
07-2005 48 $486,000.00
06-2005 31 $463,000.00
05-2005 23 $451,000.00
04-2005 22 $477,000.00 $46 million school passes during snowstorm
03-2005 24 $410,000.00
02-2005 18 $563,000.00
01-2005 23 $428,000.00
12-2004 18 $429,000.00
11-2004 37 $406,000.00
10-2004 30 $457,000.00
09-2004 33 $402,000.00
08-2004 57 $450,000.00
07-2004 65 $475,000.00
06-2004 49 $387,000.00
05-2004 29 $479,000.00
04-2004 16 $401,000.00
03-2004 21 $387,000.00
02-2004 22 $366,000.00
01-2004 42 $375,000.00
March 2005 — Annual school board election SB2
$49.5 BOND PASSES WITH 67% OF THE ONLY 31% OF VOTERS
WHO COULD MAKE IT TO THE POLLS during a snowstorm
that canceled many other annual meetings.
February 2005 — Session 1 of school board's deliberative
session for the upcoming March SB 2 ballot election to
deliberate another citizen petitioned warrant article to
sign the tuition contract with Manchester. School board's
warrant article appears to approve bonding in the amount of
$49.5 million dollars for a combo school of grades 7,8
and a high school. (Notice the “deal” to bring in more voters
by catering to another set of grades. This is very common in
unnecessary construction projects.)
January 2005 — Supreme Court issues zip opinion ruling
in favor of Bedford School Board and preventing petitioners/
plaintiffs from having a 'hearing on the merits'.
June 2004 — Special election petitioners file suit against
Bedford School Board.
June 2004 — Bedford School Board refuses to comply with
election results and refuses to sign tuition agreement.
June 2004 — Special Election petitioned by 1500 citizens
demanding that school board sign the 20 year tuition
agreement with Manchester PASSES WITH A HUGE
MAJORITY OF 92% OF THE VOTES.
March 2004 — Annual School Board's Election (SB2)
proposed Warrant Article for a $45 million dollar
bond to build a high school FAILS AT THE POLLS
Tuition contract passes. Bedford Academy passes.
February 2004 — Session I or school board's deliberate
session prior to the Annual Secret Ballot Election SB2
to be held in March, 2004, the citizen petitioned warrant
article (originally proposed by Attorney Stan Tefft and
including 800 signatures) requiring the 'Bedford School
Board to sign the 20 year tuition agreement with Manchester'
was unlawfully amended by then Town Council Chairman,
Bill Greiner, by the insertion of the words "if, and only
if, the high school bond passes".
November 2003 — Bedford School Board 'special of the
day' Warrant Article again for a $45 million dollar bond
to build a high school FAILS AT THE POLLS* (boycott)
July 2003 — School Board's special election (SB2)
Warrant Article for $9 million dollar bond to
buy land on Route 101 to build a high school
FAILS AT THE POLLS.
March 2003 — Annual Secret Ballot Election SB2
School Board's Warrant Article for $45 million dollar bond
to build a high school FAILS AT THE POLLS.
Tuition contract with Manchester passes.
Currently there are few articles in the local papers from the supporters of the new school now that it is becoming apparent that the per student cost will rise from $7-$8,000 for tuition in Manchester to about $15,000 for an education in Bedford – whatever that will be like.
The projected student “increases” are actually dropping, as are the jaws of taxpayers as they discover a new soccer field is “sinking,” a new access road is needed, water lines need improvement, teachers need to be hired, and supplies and furniture bought.
The School Superintendent Ann “Reamed'us” who promoted the construction is leaving, as is the school board chair Dan Sullivan..
The head of the local 'taxpayer' organization, Roy Stewart, who supported the new construction because the student population was supposedly growing, has not given an explanation of the newly found costs for the project to the press. The press dutifully reported every emanation from him during the campaign to build this fiasco. Now there is silence.
2.22.2006
A Wider 93 in NH May Not Fix Much
---by Micheal
I commute every day from Exit 4 (Londonderry) to Boston. For better and worse, 93 is a big chunk of my life. The commute one way usually takes an hour and a half. It can take three hours on bad days. Talk of widening 93 to three lanes promises to reduce my commute time, though not without controversy (see Dave Buhlman's recent article) You'd think, given the promises, that I'd be yelling, "loose the bulldozers!" but I'm not.
I'm starting to think that it may be a huge waste of money. Many millions will be spent. Years of construction-related snarls endured. In the end, it may not have mattered one whit. The commute to Boston will still take one to three hours. Why spend huge bucks and be no better off? Who'd buy that?
Imagine if a house-cleaning service said they'd clean your house for $500. Sounds like a lot, but if it got the house really clean, it might be worth the pain. You pay the cleaners. When you come back home, the house is just as dirty as when you left, would you think "Oh well, maybe there's a bit less dust on the shelves"? Bet not. Bet you'd want your money back. The trouble with government highway projects, however, is that you can never get your money back. The only option is to not spend it in the first place.
The reason for my growing doubt that more lanes from Exit 1 north will help ease traffic came to me this week. This week, the commutes to Boston have been under an hour! That's very rare. Weather is a variable ("Is that a raindrop? Slow down to 30mph!!"), but it's been clear and dry rather often during slow weeks and this week. Weather's not the reason. Crashes (most often the stupid getting caught being stupid) are a variable too, but we've seen the usual blue lights and tow trucks this week. No big change there.
What changed? Mass is on school vacation week. There are fewer Mass commuters because they're out having fun with their kids instead. 93 is the same width. The weather is the same. The crash rate is the same. The only variable that...well...varied, is that there are fewer Mass folk on 93.
Widening 93 to three lanes -- or even 33 lanes -- won't solve the underlying problem: There are too many Mass folk on 93. A rail line from Concord won't fix that. Mass already has a rail line. It isn't fixing things. I'm beginning to think that the trouble with 93 lies in Massachusetts, not New Hampshire. Why waste millions, perhaps over a billion NH dollars to "fix" the part of 93 that isn't broken? We'll never get our money back when it's all done and the commute still takes two hours.
Just say no.
I commute every day from Exit 4 (Londonderry) to Boston. For better and worse, 93 is a big chunk of my life. The commute one way usually takes an hour and a half. It can take three hours on bad days. Talk of widening 93 to three lanes promises to reduce my commute time, though not without controversy (see Dave Buhlman's recent article) You'd think, given the promises, that I'd be yelling, "loose the bulldozers!" but I'm not.
I'm starting to think that it may be a huge waste of money. Many millions will be spent. Years of construction-related snarls endured. In the end, it may not have mattered one whit. The commute to Boston will still take one to three hours. Why spend huge bucks and be no better off? Who'd buy that?
Imagine if a house-cleaning service said they'd clean your house for $500. Sounds like a lot, but if it got the house really clean, it might be worth the pain. You pay the cleaners. When you come back home, the house is just as dirty as when you left, would you think "Oh well, maybe there's a bit less dust on the shelves"? Bet not. Bet you'd want your money back. The trouble with government highway projects, however, is that you can never get your money back. The only option is to not spend it in the first place.
The reason for my growing doubt that more lanes from Exit 1 north will help ease traffic came to me this week. This week, the commutes to Boston have been under an hour! That's very rare. Weather is a variable ("Is that a raindrop? Slow down to 30mph!!"), but it's been clear and dry rather often during slow weeks and this week. Weather's not the reason. Crashes (most often the stupid getting caught being stupid) are a variable too, but we've seen the usual blue lights and tow trucks this week. No big change there.
What changed? Mass is on school vacation week. There are fewer Mass commuters because they're out having fun with their kids instead. 93 is the same width. The weather is the same. The crash rate is the same. The only variable that...well...varied, is that there are fewer Mass folk on 93.
Widening 93 to three lanes -- or even 33 lanes -- won't solve the underlying problem: There are too many Mass folk on 93. A rail line from Concord won't fix that. Mass already has a rail line. It isn't fixing things. I'm beginning to think that the trouble with 93 lies in Massachusetts, not New Hampshire. Why waste millions, perhaps over a billion NH dollars to "fix" the part of 93 that isn't broken? We'll never get our money back when it's all done and the commute still takes two hours.
Just say no.
2.20.2006
Ruminations
By Ron Dupuis
Now that the Nashua Board of Alderman are discussing the use of School funds from the State that were allocated for Special Education to be used instead for the Pennachuck takeover, I thought I would revive an old column I had written some time ago.
Years ago, reputed South Boston mobster Whitey Bulger and his gang went to legitimate businessman Stephen Rakes and with a gun held to his head, forced Rakes to sell his business, one South Boston Liquor Mart, at a financial loss. The reason, Rakes was under pricing other liquor stores in the area, who also happen to be friends of Bulger. (Authors note; when referring to strong arm gangsters, my lawyer said it is always wise to use the word “reputed”.)
From Utah to Florida to New London Connecticut the process of Eminent Domain has been controversial, to say the lest. Even right here in the “Live free, or die” state.
Sometime during the year 2002, a group of "reputed" politicians and community activists got together and decided that the city of Nashua would be better served if one newly formed government agency controlled the drinking water supply of not only its own community, but also that of several others throughout the entire state. Thus was born the Merrimack Valley Regional Water District.
The purpose of the newly formed water district was clear and concise from the very beginning. To take by eminent domain all the assets and property of a successful New Hampshire company that has been servicing customers throughout the state for over 150 years. The impact of such a takeover would mean that politicians in the city of Nashua would have total control over the operation, rate setting, and future system modernization plans of communities from Hollis to Bow, from Milford to Gilford, and from Raymond to Amherst. The reason for the take over was that company in question was in danger of being sold to a foreign corporation. A second reason given was that not having to worry about a bottom line profit; the Water Authority would be well suited to handle the operation.
Let’s assume for the moment that the reasons given are valid. The next logical step for the politicians of Nashua would be to take by eminent domain other foreign controlled corporations in the area. Convenience stores come to mind. Most are controlled by a British company. Citizens could go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and buy a super size slurpy at the same time.
A couple of the areas finest hotels are controlled by foreign companies. Citizens could now go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and book a room for their next wedding or Bar Mitzvah. Of course any toast given would have to be done with a super size slurpy.
Years ago the process of “Eminent Domain” was used to take tax delinquent abandon property to build playgrounds, or roads, or other such projects for the public good. This was the purpose of Article 5 of the Constitution. The intent was not to take property and pass it on to private “for profit” developers. Neither was the intent to allow governments to seize to assets of successful private companies under the guise to “public good”.
The United States Supreme will be hearing other cases concerning the abuse of Eminent Domain this session. Those of us who are concerned with the government’s abuse of power will be watching closely.
Reputed mobster Whitey Bulger strong armed his way into owning a business ostensibly to help some friends. The real reason is that it was a power grab for his own financial benefit and control.
There is a pretty hefty reward out for the capture of reputed mobster Whitey Bulger. I’m wondering if he is hiding out in Nashua somewhere.
Now that the Nashua Board of Alderman are discussing the use of School funds from the State that were allocated for Special Education to be used instead for the Pennachuck takeover, I thought I would revive an old column I had written some time ago.
Years ago, reputed South Boston mobster Whitey Bulger and his gang went to legitimate businessman Stephen Rakes and with a gun held to his head, forced Rakes to sell his business, one South Boston Liquor Mart, at a financial loss. The reason, Rakes was under pricing other liquor stores in the area, who also happen to be friends of Bulger. (Authors note; when referring to strong arm gangsters, my lawyer said it is always wise to use the word “reputed”.)
From Utah to Florida to New London Connecticut the process of Eminent Domain has been controversial, to say the lest. Even right here in the “Live free, or die” state.
Sometime during the year 2002, a group of "reputed" politicians and community activists got together and decided that the city of Nashua would be better served if one newly formed government agency controlled the drinking water supply of not only its own community, but also that of several others throughout the entire state. Thus was born the Merrimack Valley Regional Water District.
The purpose of the newly formed water district was clear and concise from the very beginning. To take by eminent domain all the assets and property of a successful New Hampshire company that has been servicing customers throughout the state for over 150 years. The impact of such a takeover would mean that politicians in the city of Nashua would have total control over the operation, rate setting, and future system modernization plans of communities from Hollis to Bow, from Milford to Gilford, and from Raymond to Amherst. The reason for the take over was that company in question was in danger of being sold to a foreign corporation. A second reason given was that not having to worry about a bottom line profit; the Water Authority would be well suited to handle the operation.
Let’s assume for the moment that the reasons given are valid. The next logical step for the politicians of Nashua would be to take by eminent domain other foreign controlled corporations in the area. Convenience stores come to mind. Most are controlled by a British company. Citizens could go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and buy a super size slurpy at the same time.
A couple of the areas finest hotels are controlled by foreign companies. Citizens could now go to City Hall, pay their water bill, and book a room for their next wedding or Bar Mitzvah. Of course any toast given would have to be done with a super size slurpy.
Years ago the process of “Eminent Domain” was used to take tax delinquent abandon property to build playgrounds, or roads, or other such projects for the public good. This was the purpose of Article 5 of the Constitution. The intent was not to take property and pass it on to private “for profit” developers. Neither was the intent to allow governments to seize to assets of successful private companies under the guise to “public good”.
The United States Supreme will be hearing other cases concerning the abuse of Eminent Domain this session. Those of us who are concerned with the government’s abuse of power will be watching closely.
Reputed mobster Whitey Bulger strong armed his way into owning a business ostensibly to help some friends. The real reason is that it was a power grab for his own financial benefit and control.
There is a pretty hefty reward out for the capture of reputed mobster Whitey Bulger. I’m wondering if he is hiding out in Nashua somewhere.
2.16.2006
Ruminations
---By Ron Dupuis
In view of what’s going on along our southern border I thought perhaps we should reflect upon the words of the old “Rough Rider” himself.
"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Legal immigration is one thing; we should welcome anyone that wishes to enter this country seeking a better life. The problem is that our borders are being violated by drug smugglers and other nefarious characters who wish to dismantle the very freedoms that attract so many worthy refugees. Additionally, it boggles my mind to try to understand why this country can place thirty five thousand U.S. troops on the border of South and North Korea and not spare any to prevent the invasion of our own country.
“In My Humble Opinion” we should require South Korea to place an equal amount of their troops on OUR southern border in order to prevent the invasion of our country.
__
A United Arab Emirates company has been approved to buy a British firm that controls most of the operation in six U.S. ports. They include Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Miami, New Jersey, and New Orleans.
In my wildest dreams I never thought I would agree with Sen. “Chucky” Schumer of New York who stated “America's busiest ports are vital to our economy and to the international economy, and that is why they remain top terrorist targets." "Just as we would not outsource military operations or law enforcement duties, we should be very careful before we outsource such sensitive homeland security duties."
In view of what’s going on along our southern border I thought perhaps we should reflect upon the words of the old “Rough Rider” himself.
"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people." Theodore Roosevelt 1907
Legal immigration is one thing; we should welcome anyone that wishes to enter this country seeking a better life. The problem is that our borders are being violated by drug smugglers and other nefarious characters who wish to dismantle the very freedoms that attract so many worthy refugees. Additionally, it boggles my mind to try to understand why this country can place thirty five thousand U.S. troops on the border of South and North Korea and not spare any to prevent the invasion of our own country.
“In My Humble Opinion” we should require South Korea to place an equal amount of their troops on OUR southern border in order to prevent the invasion of our country.
__
A United Arab Emirates company has been approved to buy a British firm that controls most of the operation in six U.S. ports. They include Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Miami, New Jersey, and New Orleans.
In my wildest dreams I never thought I would agree with Sen. “Chucky” Schumer of New York who stated “America's busiest ports are vital to our economy and to the international economy, and that is why they remain top terrorist targets." "Just as we would not outsource military operations or law enforcement duties, we should be very careful before we outsource such sensitive homeland security duties."
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