Nick De Mayo: Grafton County Courthouse hearing Wednesday, Oct. 15

To The Daily Sun,

It is imperative for all residents and especially taxpayers of Grafton County to attend a very important Grafton County Courthouse hearing.

This hearing will take place at the Littleton Community Center (near the Episcopal Church and across the street from Bank of New Hampshire on Main Street) on Wednesday, Oct, 15, at 7 p.m. Get there early to ensure a parking spot.

According to the Hon. Rep. John Sellers (R-Bristol), this proposed building of another courthouse will cost Grafton County taxpayers (i.e., homeowners and business owners) approximately $73 million over the next 25 years. Instead, a closer look at remediation of this building over the next 10 years seems to be the wiser and less costly alternative. Information indicates that the courthouse building itself is solid ... it’s just maintenance aspects that need to be addressed as any homeowner would do in his or her own house.

Grafton residents and taxpayers should note that they, personally, will have no vote to approve or not approve this overwhelming $73 million expenditure because only those elected Grafton County representatives serving as “the Grafton County Delegation” have that responsibility of voting on county expenditures. All county spending comes from the approval of the county delegation (all Grafton County NH state representatives), but the three commissioners have day-to-day spending discretion within the budget set by those representatives. Democrats control our spending, since they are the majority party in Grafton County.

Elections have consequences.

Depending upon how much we spend for repairs, We, The People, will have more of a say as to how much we spend each year verses a commitment to a long-term, 25-year, $73 million bond.

Nick De Mayo

Sugar Hill