Niel Young

To the editor,

This is the bitterest campaign in many, many years here in Laconia.

Some folks will probably say I may be to blame because of the tax cap charter amendment on the ballot. No, that is a voter initiative signed by over 600 Laconia voters. It is our insurance, our protection if you will from a mayor and city council that has shown very little compassion for the taxpayers of Laconia who are struggling financially.

This has been coming for over a decade. And let’s agree that when this election is over next Tuesday there will be hard feelings. I know personally that there are friends and business associates whose attitudes toward me have changed, and win or lose the tax cap on that day, for my part, there will be no need to revert back to the more pleasant days. If the good people of Laconia do not realize that the tax cap is right, my position will be I would have done it all over again.

I will not forget how some of my friends were treated by reporters, other radio voices, and the shadow group known as Laconians for Sensible Government. That group knowingly lied, and the media for the most part were more activists than objective journalists. Still waiting for the “fiscal agent” to let us know where he got the erroneous information about department head turnover in Franklin, and an apology to the public for misinformation detrimental to our cause: the tax cap charter amendment.

It has been difficult for Roland Maheu to run against Matt Lahey when Mr. Lahey keeps touting a low average for the tax rate during his days as mayor/city councilor.

Matt fails to tell you that the best barometer for his spending is in the ever increasing total property tax bills over those same years. Your total tax bill is a reflection of the spending by the mayor and council.

Back to my friends who are taking a beating. The “committee of 5” who spearheaded the petition drive did not participate in personal attacks, and are not responsible for what others may write. I, along with the committee have stuck to the differences between the candidates, their commitment to supporting the tax cap, and quotes from those opposing it.

As for the involvement of a couple of long time conservative colleagues from Franklin I ask those who should know better; did you think we would go to Meredith or Concord to find the wording for a tax cap which has successfully been in place for 15 years?

There is — until Tuesday — only ONE city in NH that has a tax cap. Franklin.

Ken and Tony believe in it, and have amended it by their hand. Who would you go to?

One silly comment from an opponent to the cap suggested that we look at Proposition 2 * (voter initiative) that is in place in Massachusetts. Oh, how bad that is they say.

Do you mean that with a state income AND sales tax you think Prop. 2 * which is their version of a local tax cap — which can be overridden — is bad?

That proves that new revenue streams do not guarantee property tax relief, or better education!

And that also proves the opponents of a tax cap in Laconia are desperate. Call it lies, misstatements, misleading, scare tactics, the bottom line is the tax cap in place for next budget does not “cut” one penny; it just places a cap to the amount that the budget will increase and makes it simpler to calculate your total tax bill which will not rise at 30 or 40% per year.

And for the record Matt, beginning in my first term as a city councilor in 1974, in three terms — six budgets — I voted for just two of them (76-77). Not depending on other council members isn’t new to me.

Niel Young

Laconia