BY JILLIAN JORGENSENThe town manager presented a $22,410,681 budget to the Town Council on Oct. 14, meeting the Town Council’s guidance of no more than a 2 percent increase over the town’s portion of the 2009 municipal tax rate. The town tax rate for 2010 in Town Manager Russell Marcoux’s proposed budget is $4.13 per $1,000 in ...

BY STEPHEN BEALEThe town could be getting four new police officers, thanks to the economic stimulus program. Chief David Bailey said his department had planned on two new officers for this year, but those were cut from the town budget out of economic concerns. Now, those two positions — plus two more — might be restored through the ...

BY SUSAN CLARKWhen voters went to the polls on Tuesday, March 10, they were asked to sign a petition requesting the state return rooms and meals tax revenue to New Hampshire communities – a move that could save Bedford nearly $1.2 million in revenues. Town Manager Russ Marcoux and Councilor Bob Young are expected to appear before a House ...

BY STEPHEN BEALEThe budget that will appear on the March 10 school district ballot has been crafted with the economy in mind, said School Board Chairman David Sacks. “The school district budget is appropriate for these economic times,” Sacks said. “It continues to ensure quality education can be delivered in the walls of our ...

BY STEPHEN BEALEWhen ballots are cast on March 10, the council hopes voters will take into consideration the condition of town roads and what road repairs could cost in the future if the $12 million bond fails this year. The proposed bond would continue the road reconstruction program for three more years in annual $4 million installments, in ...

BY STEPHEN BEALEAt $62,234 in the budget, the International Baccalaureate program does not stand out in terms of its dollar amount, but it is certainly getting a lot of attention these days. Taxpayer critics say it has a leftist political bias and is a luxury item that should be scrapped from the budget during a recession. Administrators say it ...

BY STEPHEN BEALEAn effort to receive public input on a $12 million bond for the town road system and $1 million for the Nashua Road intersection with Route 101 met with limited success at a recent public hearing where only a few residents turned out to speak. The $12 million bond would continue the town road rehabilitation program for another ...

BY STEPHEN BEALESchool Board members said they shaved the budget as close as they could without causing any bleeding, but several residents said they might be comfortable with some bleeding. The speakers at the Monday, Jan. 12, public hearing told the School Board that teachers should not be receiving raises during a recession and that it needed ...

BY SUSAN CLARKEach year on the first Wednesday in March, Bedford voters are called to hear and vote on the town’s proposed budget. For Bedford, this annual gathering of voters is called the Budgetary Town Meeting – its form of traditional Town Meeting voting – when only the article containing the proposed budget is discussed, ...

BY STEPHEN BEALEThe School Board has taken $372,000 out of the 2009 proposed operating budget, bringing the amount to $56.8 million. Actual appropriations will be higher for 2009- 10 since that number does not account for salary increases for the three employee unions in the district. Those will appear as separate warrant articles on the March ...