The worsening economic situation was evident at a Goffstown Budget Committee meeting recently, where members pressed for even deeper cuts in the town and school budgets in order to give taxpayers a break.

At its Jan. 20 meeting, the committee cut the proposed 2009 selectmen budget from about $19.4 million to $18 million, a difference of nearly $1.4 million.

The reduction was far more significant than the $60,000 subtraction it had requested more than a month ago and came after selectmen had themselves already axed $1.8 million.

Committee members said since then, the economy had taken a turn for the worse. “At least, personally, I think the last two months have been a dire economic situation and again I think the numbers would have been different if this process started now vs. six months ago,” said committee member Christi Garrison.

Nick Campasano, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said the board had taken the economic situation into account when i t drafted its budget. He also said the amount would have more of an effect on the town than on the schools, which had total appropriations of $35 million before the committee changed it.

Committee member Roger Richard worried taxpayers might have to be paying more because their property values had gone up in the latest reassessment. Campasano said some properties had actually decreased.

“Bottom line, my view, they’re paying more,” Richard said. “They’re paying more for food. They’re paying more taxes for the town, the school. They’re paying more for the fed. They’re paying more for everything, OK? They need a break.”

Richard said taxpayers would have to work harder at their jobs to shoulder the additional burden, reducing time with their families. As a result, he warned “we’re destroying this town.”

The committee narrowly approved the smaller town budget, 7-5, with two abstentions.

Town Administrator Sue Desruisseaux declined to comment on what the impact would be on town services. She said selectmen would meet Jan. 22 to decide whether they agree with the committee’s proposed town budget.

Three hours into the meeting, committee members sought to do the same to the 2009-10 school budget. The committee last month had lopped about $561,000 from the school budget. At its Jan. 19 meeting, the school revised its budget to come down to the committee’s number.

The reduction was composed of cuts to about two dozen lines, from $112,000 for general supplies to $600 for carpet replacements at Goffstown High School. Buckley said she looked for what was reasonable, without diminishing programming.

Only a few positions were affected, including a teacher at Mountain View Middle School and a teacher’s aid.

“Golly, the emotional energy, the bluster, the threats … what a darned shame that we had to put forth so much to get the School Board to being talking reasonably,” said Budget Committee member Bill Gordon.

The following night, however, committee members said they wanted to go farther than $560,000. John Hikel proposed a reduction of approximately $995,000, taking the total proposed school budget from $35 million to $34 million.