Loring Carr: Alton's selectboard miscalculated default budget

To The Daily Sun,

$1,460,475.00! This is the difference between what was actually spent to operate the Town of Alton last year and this year’s operating budget request in Article 9. That is a 17.7% increase according to the 1/29/21 town worksheets.

Also included in Article 9 is the selectmen’s Default Budget. What a mess!! First, by law, the required state form detailing the default budget was signed by the selectmen and posted. Unbelievably, the “reasons for increases” page was blank. The other pages that were filled out added amounts that cannot be included as stated in the NH Municipal Association bulletins.

For future selectmen's reference:

Confucious say, “Do Homework ; Look before Signing.”

At the  Deliberative Session held on Wednesday, Feb. 3, the selectboard’s attorney promised “we” will review the default budget before submitting it to the printer on Friday. The “we” broke that promise.

At the next board meeting, the newest member of the selectboard questioned these miscalculations and believed that they should not be included. He spent time reviewing information and insisted upon having correct information provided to the taxpayer, and to do it “right.” Due to his inexperience, he agreed to the old “let the lawyer look at it” with no timeline, dodge. Three weeks later, there is still no response. If his concerns are finally answered before voting day, and the selectmen’s default budget is wrong, will the voters be notified that Article 9 is incorrect before going into the voting booth? Will the ballot be rectified?... No! ...Too late now!

Alton’s article 9 choices: Vote “Yes” - with $1.4 million more than needed or “No” - to an overcalculated default budget. What an unnecessary quagmire!

Robert Loring Carr

Alton