Editorial

Informed voters make the best choices

Hooksett votes on town candidates and warrants on May 13. In order to give people enough information to make informed decisions, we are covering controversial issues like the drive for public-access cable TV and whether the Hooksett sewer system expansion bond should pass.
On May 1, we plan to run profiles of the candidates in contested races. We sent questionnaires to Nancy VanScoy, Jason Hyde, Michael Pischetola, Stu Werksman and Carl Hebert Sr., who are running for two Hooksett Town Council seats. We’ve heard from a few; to those we haven’t heard from, we hope you got our questionnaire. Let us know if you didn’t. Answers are due now to appear in the May 1 issue. This is an ideal and free way to get your message out to the Hooksett voters.
One dilemma this newspaper has is that it takes an enormous amount of space to print the entire ballot. We will do so when we report the vote results, but it is even more important that voters get to see those warrant articles before the day they walk into the voting booth. Rather than take up valuable news space, we will be happy to e-mail a copy of the ballot to anyone who is interested. Just send a note to editor Ginger Kozlowski, at editor@hooksettbanner.com, and she will be happy to help you become a better-informed voter. 

Letters

Information is power, so vote for public access TV on May 13

To the Editor:
Dear Hooksett residents,
Please vote for Article 26 on May 13 at Cawley School. The polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Article 26 is a petitioned warrant article presented by citizens of Hooksett to establish public television access to Hooksett.
The major reason I am supporting this article is for information purposes. I am a firm believer one cannot gather enough information. Information is knowledge and knowledge is power. You will have access from the comfort of your home to view how local government runs this community. So many are in the dark about what is going on in the community.
It will be a message board: for example Raymond, during their spring floods, kept the viewers update on the roads that were closed and any other emergency that occurs in town.
Please support Article 26.
Pat Rueppel
Councilor District 1
Hooksett

Voting ‘no’ on sewer expansion will not hinder Hooksett growth

To the Editor:
Have you tried to sort out the arguments of those who either favor or oppose approval of Warrant Article 3, which Hooksett voters will see on the ballot when they go to the polls on May 13?
Article 3 asks us if we are in favor of completing upgrades to the Hooksett Wastewater Treatment Plant in the amount of $1.5 million.
I have, and I urge you to vote “yes” on this very important issue.
Some have argued that defeat of Article 3 will serve to control growth in Hooksett. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Most folks who have taken the time to study the issue agree that expansion of the sewer treatment plant is vital to Hooksett’s future. Failure to expand the sewer plant will not hinder residential growth! Residential development will continue with the installation of less desirable septic systems in the event that sewer capacity is no longer available.  In such a case, the added expense to the town for educating more kids, and providing other essential services will not stop.
In my view, failure to approve Article 3 allowing sewer plant expansion will adversely affect commercial development, which Hooksett sorely needs in order to maintain and improve our tax base. There will be little chance that we can lure the larger taxpaying commercial establishments to our community. Without them, your taxes and mine are likely to rise dramatically in the years to come.
I urge you to vote “yes” on Article 3 as recommended by both our Town Council and Budget Committee.
Frank Kotowski
Hooksett

West High School Destination Imagination team needs help

To the Editor:
West High School’s Destination Imagination Team is going global ... and we need your help! Destination Imagination is a program that encourages and develops creative problem solving for students of all ages.  Our team placed first at States, which secures us a place at the global competition.  We are selling 50/50 raffle tickets, one for $5 or five for $20, to help finance our trip to global finals at The University of Tennessee, where we will compete against hundreds of other D.I. teams from across the U.S. and from 20 other countries.
For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact:  Kay Penney at 485-2249, or kaypenney@comcast.net. The drawing will be held on May 19 and the winner will be announced. 
Thanks for your support~

Kristin Johnson
Brianna Levenstein
Laura O’Dea
Kay Penney

Separate fact from propaganda, no matter where it comes from

To the Editor:
Rep. Boutin’s letter in the April 17 Banner expressed some opinions about actions being taken in the state Legislature this session. As many of the bills that he refers to came out of the committee that I serve on, I feel somewhat qualified, and compelled, to provide counterpoint to the political rhetoric.
The bottle bill with the 5-cent deposit attached to it was HB1621. It was killed (14-0) by a bipartisan vote in the committee and the House concurred by voice vote at the Feb. 6 session. The Legislature remains unconvinced that the benefits of a bottle bill outweigh the concerns expressed by the retail establishments about the added costs and effort necessary to effectively implement it.
The other bill relating to beverage containers, HB503, was passed out of committee (15-2) with an amendment that would have added a 1-cent distributor fee for all beverage containers brought into the state. It would have generated several million dollars for local recycling efforts, reducing the mountains of plastic and aluminum that litter our landscape and fill up our landfills and lowering our local property tax bills. The House, at the Feb. 6 session, killed the amendment to the bill by a narrow (148-158) margin and then killed the original bill, which would have raised your taxes, with a voice vote.
HB1426 increases the 3-cent fee that you’ve been paying with your gas tax since 1988. It is used to pay for mitigation costs associated with leaky gas and oil tanks. I believe it’s a legitimate exercise to study why, after all these years, we still have leaky tanks and why we have to pay for them. HB1594, in addition to protecting the public safety from accidental or deliberate hazardous material spills and getting your local fire department the information that will help to keep our emergency personnel safe when they have to respond to a hazardous material incident, also has a study commission to look into who pays and who benefits from those fees.
The surcharge added to the real estate deed transfers is the dedicated funding source for LCHIP that was overwhelmingly passed by the Legislature in 2007. I find it ironic that this is being raised as an issue in the same edition of the Banner that talks about the possibility of Hooksett’s population growing from 13,000 to the 40,000 in the foreseeable future. Anyone that doubts the commitment of our residents to preserve and protect our forests and fields has only to count the number of “Moose” plates on the cars going by. New Hampshire Advantage, indeed!
Some of us serve in Concord to solve problems, some to rehash old, tired tax-and-spend slogans. Solving problems costs money, takes time and requires significant effort. In my time in the Legislature, I have met many very bright, experienced and talented individuals. I haven’t found any correlation between their good (or bad) points and their party affiliation.
As a Democratic House member. I have listened to everybody, worked hard to accomplish good things and to ensure that the taxpayers get their money’s worth from state government.
Come November, the voters will give us our report cards. Until then, I’m going to encourage you to separate fact from propaganda, no matter where it comes from.

Rep. Richard H. Snow,
Rockingham One
Candia, Deerfield,
Northwood, Nottingham

Girl Scouts urged to let their leaders know they’re appreciated

To the Editor:
If you are a girl in Girl Scouting – or ever were – I would like to remind you that April 22 was Leader Appreciation Day. I know you have done some great things as a Girl Scout! But please take a minute to remember the people who helped you accomplish your activities and goals – your leaders.
 You are a member of a large group of girls in Swift Water Council (more than 14,000) who are facing the world with inspiration and determination. In Hooksett, you are one of over 170 girls who are making a difference in our community and exploring your world. I am seeing your troops doing fantastic projects such as sharing our birthday with our town’s family services office, supplying a neonatal ward in a Boston hospital with eye covers for preemies, creating birthday party kits and donating to CMC’s family services, making new mother/infant lovies for maternity wards, supporting animal shelters, and providing grocery store gift cards to neighbors in need.
 You’re exploring some wonderful things like events at the SEE Science Center, learning photography at Clix, needlework at Bonnie’s Stitchery, sky and wildlife exploration, recycling, the theater arts, ice harvesting, maple sugaring, all about our police and fire departments, and what it means to be your best. Our olympic festival coming up will “take us around the world” learning new things from far away countries. And, each of you are starting to take on more leadership roles in your troops and beyond.
I know you are proud of all you have accomplished with your troop. You were very ambitious this year selling cookies to do all these thing - more than 17,000 boxes in Hooksett alone! I know the community appreciates all you are doing to make our world a better place. I also know how much your leaders care about you and want to help you succeed in all you do.
 Please take a minute (well, maybe a little more than a minute) to write a note, draw a picture or send an e-mail to your leaders to let them know you appreciate their help. Tell them what you have had fun doing or something that was especially meaningful to you. Just as you know to write a thank you note when someone gives you a present, think of all your experiences in Girl Scouting like a gift that will be with you forever, and the people who helped make them happen.
Thank you, girls! Miss Robin thinks you are awesome!
I, too, want to say thank each of our 46 adult volunteers here in Hooksett for the amazing things our girls are doing because of your support. I am inspired by your dedication in bringing the Girl Scout program to our girls. Your efforts are definitely making a difference in their lives as they grow to be young women of courage, confidence and character. Indeed, awesome!

Robin Boyd
Service Unit Manager
Hooksett