This March, communities will be taking to the polls to vote on community school budgets and projects. I am particularly invested in two great communities as a Sunapee teacher and Claremont parent.
Sunapee taxpayers have a decision to continue to support education by voting “yes” for Warrant Article 3. This K-12 model will not only bring a new state-of-the-art facility to our children but also an investment to taxpayers. The New Hampshire bond interest rates are at an all-time low. This is the time to build because interest rates could easily increase by 0.5% to 1% in one year’s time, meaning hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings for the Sunapee taxpayers if they vote “yes” now.
Claremont voters have an even easier decision. A vote of “yes” on all warrant articles will not only decrease the tax rate but also bring many benefits to our students and taxpayers. These include increasing teacher salaries to a competitive wage, and filling the science and social studies teacher positions, increasing paraprofessional salaries to a livable wage and creating interest-bearing trusts for future needs. This “yes” vote will help bring Claremont schools closer to standard educational practices, and it will also help taxpayers save money in future years.
As a new mom, I want to see Claremont education improve and thrive. As a teacher in Sunapee, I want to continue to brag about my students and their accomplishments. Please make an educational decision come March to support education in your community.
AMANDA BARTON
Claremont