there will be a significant shift in taxes to residential properties

At their last meeting the Selectmen granted raises of 2-3% for Department Heads and other non-union employees as compared with 1.5% last year and 1% the year before. Looks like a trend of increased spending. In addition, there was one notable exception, that being the Police Chief, who received a 10%, $10,000 increase. The accounting for the raises, which will have an annual impact of about $38,000, was done in a manner to obfuscate the amount ...

this is a warning shot across the bow of the taxpayers that they have to be more diligent in paying attention to local government officials.

If the recommendations for change do not occur it will be business as usual and the cry of “we have always done it this way “will rise and true progress will not occur. Stagnation in this process will only lead to higher costs and taxpayer impact. We embrace change agents not a status quo philosophy.

The more that the Town analyzes its costs and uses techniques to incorporate forward thinking and strategic planning the better our community.

Before embarking on a course of making changes that would weaken and reduce the benefits to the taxpayers from the Purchasing Policy by increasing the dollar threshold and/or reducing the required number of bidders, wouldn’t it make more sense to conduct an investigation and analysis to get to the bottom of why Hampton is having so much trouble getting 3 qualified bidders on projects exceeding $15,000. Thus far all we’ve heard is “off the cuff” opinions from the Town Manager and some of the Selectmen.

It appeared to us that the Town Attorney’s intent last week was to defend the actions of the Town Manager, Finance Director and Board of Selectmen related to the $444,000 encumbered on December 21, 2015. While we understand and accept that the Town Attorney may receive direction from the Board of Selectmen, we believe his clients are ultimately the citizens of the Town of Hampton. In our opinion, the presentation by the Town Attorney last week was designed to put Town Officials in a positive light and mislead the public. An objective legal opinion looking out for the interest of the citizens of Hampton would have been more appropriate.

Unions that operate statewide in New Hampshire represent most school district employees, as well as most municipal employees. These employees play a major role and are generally successful in electing School board members and Selectmen sensitive to their interests.

Just approve the bond and we’ll figure out the details later. We are sure there are items contained in this proposal that need to be addressed, but not this way.

We need to change with the rapid infusion of technology in aiding learning on an individual needs basis and not invest extraordinary funds in brick and mortar based on yesterday’s method. We must make the Academy building safe but not plush.

Please do not subscribe to what I believe is scare tactics of the town manager. Frankly I'm not sure who he is working for, but in my opinion it doesn't seem to be the taxpayers of Hampton.