The NH Liberty Alliance, an independent NH think tank, has released its ratings of NH State Legislators for the 2009 Session.
Here is how our Windham Reps fared:
Bates, David……………A+
Belanger, Ronald………C+
Bettencourt, David…….A
Crisler, Margaret……….B
DiFruscia, Anthony…….C+
Elliott, Robert…………..B+
Garcia, Marilinda……….Inc. (new Rep)
Griffin, Mary…………….B
Ingram, Russell…………B+
Kolodziej, Walter……….A
McMahon, Charles……..A-
Priestley, Anne………….C+
Webber, Carolyn………..CT
The Josiah Bartlett Center has put out a report on the New Hampshire Budget which outlines more than 38 new taxes and fees.
April 13, 2009
Eagle Tribune
WINDHAM — Two local activists are brewing a bracing cup of discontent for tax day.
Windham homeowners Ted Maravelias, 40, and Corey Lewandowski, 35, say their noon taxpayer tea party on the Statehouse steps, like at least five other rallies elsewhere in New Hampshire on Wednesday, is drawing broad interest from average citizens.
January 27, 2009
Eagle Tribune
WINDHAM — A project advisory group will meet in the coming months to talk about moving a portion of Route 111 to the south and establishing a walkable village district.
The intent would be to steer the existing busy traffic from the section of Route 111 that runs from the post office to Center School.
The group has advisory powers only and its work is being funded by a Community Technical Assistance Program grant, made available as part of the Interstate 93 widening project to address issues related to the highway project.
The group will be assembled in about a month and include representatives from town boards, the Department of Transportation, local residents, and representatives from Derry and Londonderry.
They will meet once every two months and hope to complete their work by December.
The group also will look at the feasibility of building a road behind the Shaw’s supermarket, connecting to North Lowell Road and Londonderry Road.
Such a road would relieve traffic on North Lowell Road, but it remains to be seen whether a road could be built behind Shaw’s, given the wet soils there, Selectman Roger Hohenberger said.
Planning Board Chairman Phil LoChiatto said the ideas need to be weighed carefully since any changes would affect a lot of residents and businesses.
January 26, 2009
Eagle Tribune
A portion of the best commercial land in Southern New Hampshire could see a new industrial park if Londonderry qualifies for an economic stimulus package proposed by President-elect Barack Obama.
The 1,000-acre industrial park would be near Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and would connect Pettingill Road to an airport access road that is slated to be completed by 2013, according to Community Development Director Andre Garron.
The town has submitted the project to the state and could receive federal funding soon after Obama takes office.
The $12.3 million project would mean not only construction jobs, but also 4,000 permanent jobs in the 4.6 million square feet of office space that could be constructed in the area, Garron said. Engineering work has been completed for the project.
“This is a project consistent with what that money should be used for,” Garron said.
Derry also has submitted more than $40 million worth of projects to the state that includes improvements to Route 28 and the proposed Exit 4A off Interstate 93.
Derry has completed all of the engineering to widen Route 28 north of Crystal Avenue from two lanes to five. The town has been considering paying for the $6 million project through a tax-increment finance district, but hasn’t requested any bids yet.
“It would be very nice to go without having to pay for it with a TIF district,” Town Administrator Gary Stenhouse said yesterday.
The town also hopes to improve the southern section of Route 28 closer to the Windham line that is home to several used car lots. That area of town is thought to be prime for economic development, but needs municipal water and sewer to attract business.
“There’s a project that could pay back more than would be given out by the federal government,” council Chairman Rick Metts said.
Exit 4A has been in the works for more than 10 years and almost came to a standstill last year when the project was not included on the state’s 10-year transportation list. An environmental impact study is still being conducted, as well as a search for funding sources if federal dollars are not available.
That project is expected to cost at least $30 million and would open up land in Derry and Londonderry for economic development.