Bill Schmidlin: Support Gilmanton's elderly who need help

To The Daily Sun,

Supporters of Warrant Article 15 say one reason or excuse for the modification is because they feel there are undeserving cheaters receiving the exemption. They also claim the town already supplies enough aid for those in need. 

When Article 15 came up for discussion at the Deliberative Session there was little discussion, but according to the record, someone said something funny which created a sound of laughter, but the minutes did not reflect what was funny. I guess you just had to be there to know! Apparently, no concerned senior was there at 5 p.m. on a cold dark January evening to speak on the articles. Well, do you think that being in a COVID high-risk group and/or a fear of social gatherings is a valid reason not to attend? Another excuse expressed by the supporters of Article 15 was that people did not fully understand what they voted for in 2020, when the updated Elderly Tax Exemption was passed. If warrant articles were written in simple, understandable, plain old English then we would not have the issue of misunderstanding questions. The ongoing use of tricky language is nothing new in Gilmanton. It was apparently used in the Biohazard Ban question that passed a few years ago! Speaking of hazards, apparently the Old Town Hall is a safety hazard since it has fallen into serious disrepair from neglect. This year there is a warrant article requesting around $170,000 in tax money to bring the old unused building back to life. This request is only for the start of repairs, with additional funding needed next year and possibly years to come, so it can become a bottomless tax money pit. Speaking of ongoing funding, again the GYRL has requested another $47,000+ for its continued funding that they have been receiving for many years and is expected to continue for years to come! There are other warrant articles seeking tax dollar funding this year as well. What is really funny is the fact that everyone in town complains about the high taxes year after year, but voters continue to fund these pet projects by making it seem un-neighborly to vote against them. While there may be one or two that try to abuse this exemption, we do have some good honest seniors that need help but are too proud to ask for it? How do we tell our seniors this community cares for them and appreciates their hard work over the years? What is the best way to let them know we are continuing the values they have instilled in this community? A NO vote on Article 15!