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.)
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Your letter sounds like it is an add to sell real estate.
That's right the OVERALL burden that the middle class (soon to be known as the 'working poor') carry disproportionately.
I'm glad living in the town has been so nice for you. But you are not being realistic. HARD times are coming down the pike. Already my husband is hearing about layoff planning in his company. My company is making contingency plans. How many households will have unemployed people in them? God forbid even two wage earners unemployed? How do you think folks will pay their mortgages (principal, interest, and escrow) then? If the town doesn't become more cost efficient it won't be such a nice place for many other folks including my family.
I don't really care what the deal is with the personalities on the town board. I just want them to get to work and represent the MAJORITY of the people and not just one or two specific demographics.
Unfortunately there are two types of people that live in Hopkinton, the rich and the rest of us. This town, that I have lived in for over 25 years, has been going down the wrong path for many years. Hopkinton will eventually get what it wants and deserves..a town of rich self serving older people. Eventually there will be no families, no young single people and no middle income elders. My what a great place it will be to live!
I think the Slussers are wonderful people and did a wonderful thing. But the absolute insult and stupidity of ONLY ONE demographic having the right to use the center. And I'm contributing taxes to pay the upkeep. I won't be able to afford to live in this town to be old enough to use it. Must be nice. That's all I can say. Must be nice. If it were up to me NOT ONE MORE PENNY of my taxes would be used to fund this place. NOT ONE. The sheer dumbness and stupidity of such a beautiful facility being of use to only one demographic and the sheer arrogance of folks to think that that is right. It is breathtaking. Simply breathtaking. But then that's Hopkinton/Contoocook (sadly, as I've come to learn in the ten years I've lived here). Arrogant and entitled.
Nice Statistics Mona. So I'm assuming you called all 71 of those homeowners from 2006 and found out the reason for selling their homes? And whether they purchased homes following the sale? And you also called the folks selling the 56-71 homes? Found out which ones were actual homeowners and which ones were banks looking to sell foreclosed property? And for the folks selling were they buying new homes? Were the underwater on their mortgages or not?
Thems some nice statistics but they don't mean POOP. I live in Contoocook. And my ten cents sez the Board of Selectman and School Board better start figuring out needs and not wants. And gosh I just LOVE your quote about 'demonstrating with your vote' time after time. Oh yeah. You mean all you folks who can afford to run the meetings until two in the morning when the rest of us who have children and jobs with unsympathetic employers have to finally go home and can't wait for the vote.
What a load of HOOEY! You may live in the same town as I but you sure don't live the same reality.
The people make Hopkinton special. Many of these special families are moving because of the property taxes. Quoting statistics really dehumanizes the situation.
I believe this woman is related to Don Lane, one of the biggest spending selectmen in Hopkinton.
I live in Hopkinton and I'm selling my home after living here for twenty years. Property taxes have a great deal to do with it. It's apparrent that the wealthy in the state want to pay only property tax since tax on their income would be much more. I truly believe Hopkinton is losing its middle class. Lynch has done nothing to really solve the educational funding crisis. He simply dances around the situation in a totally gutless way. I will miss NH, but not the property tax.
Watch out when liberals want to 'move forward'. It means they want to raise taxes to support their own agenda. Good job keeping taxes in check. Sorry you have to have that one resident that sort of spoils it for the rest though.. yuck.
The residents can't complain about lower taxes if they keep voting for things that they can't afford.
to reduce or keep yaxes in check. I'm all ears.
Crooks all of them.