I have now read the Monitor’s — and several other newspapers’ — accounts of Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s inaugural address. I see no mention of rising local property taxes that are crushing seniors on fixed incomes and leading to voters to cripple schools and towns by opting for default budgets — or worse! Instead, Gov. Ayotte wants to expand the voucher program, leading more students to leave public schools, taking their (in)adequacy money with them.

While noting that “our lack of housing supply and sky-high costs are making it increasingly difficult to tap into it,” Gov. Ayotte seems not to include local property taxes in this equation. This suggests that she is oblivious to the impact of the downshifting to towns and cities of a number of costs, including employee retirement costs and money for special education. Towns and schools are left to make up for these short-falls with what? Increases in local property taxes.

Tom Chase

Northwood