As one voter out of the 616 Meredith voters who said yes to SB-2 town on Tuesday, here's what I think.
I was indeed very surprised that it got 57.5% support, and had been thinking that anything above 50% would be doing extremely well for the first try.
Apparently, getting it passed for the schools will be much more difficult, as the overall level of support for Inter Lakes was lowered down to 49.4% with Sandwich and Center Harbor added to the mix.
Why do I even care? For me, it is all about the money, or lack of money, as I watch helplessly as my property tax grows and grows. In the last four years, it has gone from $2800. to 8500./year. That is $708.33/month for me, and as an unemployed cdl-a truck driver, or unemployed painter & ceramic tile guy, I have too much time on my hands, no job, and am basically pissed, and SB-2 gives me something to do.
In New Hampshire, with our wacky tax system, one can pay off their mortgage, then lose their job, and then watch as their property tax goes up every year until it is just too much.
A decent paying job is the answer. Having a NH tax system based on one's ability to pay, such as an income tax is also a very good thing.
Each and every one of the individual 616 Meredith voters who went to the polls on Tuesday did it for themself. It was their personal choice. Most times, I believe that people will vote their wallets first & last. They vote what they think is in their best economic interest.
So for me, SB-2 is basically an expression of anger over the Meredith property tax.
Getting 200 residents to sign on to the two SB-2 petitions on presidential primary day was not all that difficult. Getting a job has been impossible!
I think I will just leave it at that and not go into the 7am-7pm, private voting ballot, absentee votes, greater number of voters, and 30 days of thinking about the ballots between deliberative session and election Tuesday.....everyone knows all about the nuts & bolts of the difference in the style of voting between SB-2 and Town Meeting....ad infinitum.
So, will you see me on Tuesday, November 4, on presidential election day, set up outside the community center collecting signatures, again? Hopefully no, because I will be working.
