GilfordGrok

It is such a pleasure to read the excellent Laconia Daily Sun responses to Ed Allard’s fictional editorial on the need for the proposed government provided health care initiative. I do give Mr. Allard and his liberal Democrat friends’ credit for consistently applying Aldous Huxley’s” Brave New World” theory of stating a lie enough times so that it eventually becomes the truth. Liberals constantly make these claims about how other nations are so much better at providing social services and accepting “progressive” change in the family structure. Wouldn’t it just be easier for liberals to go live in those places instead of manipulating the laws of this once great country to force these unwelcome changes onto the rest of us?

I am not a health care expert however I travel enough (to many countries) to note some comparative observations about our health care system. For starters, our system is already heavily embedded in socialism that essentially eliminates any competition. Remember when the OPA tried to open shop as a totally private business? They were only allowed to do so if they agreed to operate under the umbrella of the socialist hub of health care we call LRGH. If LRGH had to treat patients without insurance, so would the OPA. Then, Jean Shaheen (as Governor) shut out competition for health insurance providers in NH. If Mr. Allard wants to find someone to blame for those obscene Insurance company profits, he can go speak with the newest NH Democrat US Senator that he supported. Wouldn’t competitive options create lower prices for NH businesses? Or how about this; wouldn’t it be nice if everyone could simply go to their local Walgreens, Rite Aid or CVS pharmacy to receive routine health exams? Do you think they might even provide the exams for free to attract consumers to shop in their stores? If allowed, wouldn’t these solutions based on true capitalism save real money in the system? Does Mr. Allard actually think Private entities can compete with big government when government gets to make unfair rules? If that is the new definition of capitalism, we’re in more trouble than I thought!

It is true that working families are paying high insurance premiums because of the uninsured but I don’t think that is even a fraction of problem. Working families aren’t just paying for their own premiums. Don’t working families also pay health insurance for Congress members, Local, State, County and Federal employees, including teachers, fire fighters, law enforcement and retired government workers? Thanks to Obama, we are now on the hook to pay the auto union benefits too. If socialism is your preference; why not this solution? What if EVERY LEGAL American citizen was required to only have this new government health insurance program? Affectively, this would eliminate employee/employer health insurance premiums and also shift a significant portion of your property tax burden onto a nationally broad based tax. If working families and small businesses are going to get shafted with paying for their own private coverage plus government employees plus Obama government motors plus this new government health care program, why not spread the pain to everyone under one system? This solution is actually the system for those other countries Mr. Allard spoke of. Additionally, they don’t treat non citizens in other countries unless they can prove payment nor should we. Here in America, it’s never going to happen because all those government & union workers (Obama supporters) are NEVER replacing their gold plated coverage for any new crappy health care program they will be required to pay into. They wouldn’t even pay a tax on the free health insurance we provide to them as “compensation”. There’s no way no how they are going to join a “fair for all” system like the rest of us plebes.  

Once again, this is not about doing the right thing for all American citizens. It’s about liberal Democrats taking more money from working families and taking care of themselves first. No wonder Obama says we can’t wait any longer. Unlike the congress that is eagerly signing any legislation Obama wants (without even reading it), the American people are actually discovering exactly how bad this Bill stinks for working families. 

Posted by Terry S. at 08:59 PM | Permalink

I said that I deeply respected Town Administrator Scott Dunn and it’s because he’s a stand up guy. He attempted to post his comment on the Grok but it simply wouldn’t fit so I thought I’d create an entire post of it. It doesn’t moot my point about the fact that island residents are basically getting raped on their taxes but Scott does a really good job of explaining that I shouldn’t blame him for NH law. More importantly he goes on to explain”the rest of the story” on the new Glendale facility parking policy. I’ll let you be the judge of the policy’s intent which is what the Gilfordgrok is all about. I applaud him for taking a position and taking the time to clarify it for all to see. I also agree with his observation and warning about using the printed news media as a source of information to base a negative opinion on. I hope he isn’t too upset with me for posting his entire message but I thought it was incredibly informative.   

Here is his message to me completely cut and pasted to this post:

 Gilford Town Administrator Scott Dunn’s comments regarding an island resident’s distain for the new parking pass policy, gave me a moment of pause. For those that might not have read the Laconia Daily Sun’s article, the Town Administrator claimed that the new fees to park at Glendale docks were a “bargain” compared to other commercial offers. He went on to express that the cost of maintaining the Glendale facility was quite a burden to local residents that are simply struggling to pay their taxes just so island residents can stay at their island homes.

As a budget committee member, but not speaking for the committee, I have a deep respect for Gilford's much improved Town Administrator. I should also applaud the efforts to increase revenues where ever possible, however his statements are a complete disconnect with my engrained belief in the intent of our constitution. Out of town residents that own property in Gilford are actually being taxed without representation. I know that no one cares about their plight because they can afford a second home but seriously, does that make it right? Ask yourself a basic question. Do these people have the right to vote for the representatives that effect their property taxes? I believe this country had a tea party and many years of bloodshed over the answer to that question. Even if the out of town resident had attended the “many public meetings” on this policy, who would have cared about their concerns? Essentially, the out of town property owners get the hand gesture on many of their concerns simply because they are “fortunate” enough to own multiple homes. That plays well in public rhetoric but isn’t this fundamentally wrong? How would you feel if you were imposed an additional fee to park more than one car in your driveway simply because you are “fortunate” enough to own more than one car?

To further my point, the Town Administrator stated that the island residents were getting a huge bargain in the Glendale facility. If he truly thinks this is so then surely he’d gladly allow the island residents to succeed from the town and close the Glendale facility. Based on his statements, wouldn’t this be a huge savings?  I think not! He knows that the taxes received from the island properties is a huge windfall compared to the services they receive.  

Rather than publicly spanking a tax payer, shouldn’t we be a bit nicer to the hand that feeds us? Unfortunately, the answer is NO because most island residents are not allowed to engage in the constitutionally guaranteed process of voting for their elected representation simply because they are too “fortunate”.  The American dream is attainable for everyone; just make sure you don’t become to “fortunate”! 

Posted by Terry S. at 06:58 AM | Permalink

On June 15^th the Gilford Planning Board held an informational meeting regarding the School district’s plans to develop an athletic field complex on the land known as the Meadows which is located behind Sawyer’s Dairy Bar. The Meadows Committee, appointed by the Gilford School Board, presented their lofty plans and made a couple of interesting promises to several concerned residents in attendance. They agreed to provide a study on the need for more athletic fields in Gilford (For school use or otherwise). The need for a study was the result of several residents asking why we even need these fields. It really doesn’t take a rocket scientist to note that the existing athletic fields are not even close to capacity but that inconvenient fact isn’t going to faze the Meadows committee one bit. What do you think the outcome of the study will be when it’s conducted by the committee that is bent on shoving this athletic complex down our throats?

Despite the news reporting of no opposition to the project, there wasn’t one non committee person in attendance that supported the athletic fields. In fact, every speaker raised huge concerns over future costs of maintaining such a complex of fields. The committee did a great job of “dancing” around the many questions asked about resident input or a final vote from the citizens. Unfortunately, the voters gave up their rights for input when they approved the Warrant Article for a Meadows Trust fund which was created by the committee for the sole purpose of By-Passing any voter input. Simply put, they don’t need, want or care about any input from you pesky citizens; they can do what they want. Not to be deterred by any further opposition, Meadows Committee member and School Board member, Sue Allan made this lofty promise “This will NOT cost the tax payers any money for the implementation and ongoing maintenance of these fields.” Who is she kidding? How does that old saying go? Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

Residents of Gilford should be asking several questions about this project. Let’s start by asking what kind of community gleefully invests in a multi-million dollar athletic complex but won’t support a much needed police station? The primary thrust for the committee to develop this athletic complex is based on the belief that the Meadows “gift” should not be wasted. Apparently, it never occurred to them that the land was only given to the school district after many failed attempts to develop it. The attempts were ALL denied for environmental reasons. Sounds like the previous owners made a very sound business decision to donate the useless land they were paying local taxes on and then benefit from a charitable donation deduction on their federal taxes. This is so obvious to the average citizen that the committee is going to have to produce a study to create the illusion of “need”. Furthermore, it is painfully obvious that scenic vistas are only a matter of selective and convenient importance to the community. A large percent of this project is on a flood plain. If it floods and sends all the new imported material downstream, who will be responsible? The illusion of simple grass fields is the sham we are being led to believe. The serine pasture like meadows we now see will be gone FOR EVER! It will be replaced by five groomed playing fields, multiple large bleachers, a large concession stand in the middle of the meadow, big orange cones everywhere, white chalked lines all over the place, a massive variety of practice nets, various scattered playing equipment, backstop fences along with other required fencing and a parking lot for some 180 cars. These things belong at the school grounds like any other school you’ve ever seen. Once this monstrosity is built it will simply have to have lights for night time use. They acknowledge lights cannot be installed due to the airport but as we’ve learned from the past, what they say today has NO bearing on what they want tomorrow. How can they guarantee the residents of Gilford anything related to costs or intent? They know they are a sovereign body of government that is not required to keep promises. The promises made today are only a means to get what they want today.  Once this project is started Gilford residents will have few options. The only remedy is to elect new officials, however they are still not bound to kep past promises.

At this point there is only one way to halt this project. A Warrant Article needs to appear on next year’s ballot to eliminate the Meadows Trust fund which we now know was created to completely strip away the citizens control of how the Meadows is developed. Whether you want to see fields at the Meadows or not, we should all agree that we, the citizens, should have control over our property.

Posted by Terry S. at 10:21 AM | Permalink