At a recent meeting of the Hopkinton Board of Selectmen, Chairman Scott Flood stated that there were well over 100 homes for sale in Hopkinton, and that many people were in dire straits and had to sell their homes and move elsewhere due to the high taxes in Hopkinton.

The facts are: As of Nov. 24, there were 68 residential homes for sale, not including new construction. As of the same day, Multiple Listing Service shows, there were 56 sales so far this year. Last year, for the same time frame, MLS shows that there were 56 sales as well. In 2006, which was a peak year, MLS shows 71 sales for the same time frame. There is a relative consistency in those figures. They don't appear to indicate any severe deviation.

Hopkinton's taxes are really no worse than those of neighboring towns. Because there are no sales or income taxes in New Hampshire, the property taxes are high. But the overall tax burden in New Hampshire is the fifth lowest in the nation.

There may never be a sales or income tax, as the people have spoken and they have said no. We, in Hopkinton, have demonstrated with our votes, time and again, at school and town meetings, that we want good schools and good services. The people have spoken and said "no" to cutting school funding, "no" to cutting out sports and recreation and "no" to reduction in fire and ambulance service, etc.

We brought up four children in this town, and every year that we've been here it has become a better town. We've lived through many changes, good and not so good economies, and have stayed here because of what the town has offered us.

There have been many generous people over the years who have given money, time and labor to make Hopkinton a wonderful place to live. I've been in real estate since 1976 and have sold many homes to people who buy here simply because Hopkinton offers so much. People move here because of the services the town provides its citizens and the excellent school system.

It is my opinion that the majority of people in Hopkinton want to see the town continue in a forward direction, not thrown in reverse. If the board of selectmen and the budget committee cut out programs arbitrarily, you will see a mass exodus and not because of taxes but because the board and budget committee refused to listen to what the people have said year after year, and destroyed what we, the people, have created.

Please read Chairman Flood's e-mail dated Oct. 25 that he sent to his fellow selectmen. A copy can be obtained from the administrator at the town hall. I completely agree we all need to tighten our belts and watch spending, but I feel cutting and zeroing out funding for programs that benefit so many of us, young and old, is the wrong approach. There are other ways to accomplish those goals.

I am asking Chairman Flood, the board of selectmen and the budget committee to move on from their negative agenda and accomplish something positive for this town.

(Mona Lane lives in Hopkinton.)