SIXTY-FIRST IN A SERIES

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON
THERE’S LOTS OF TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, BUT NONE OF
IT IS ABOUT THE MILLIONS BEING WASTED ON PENNICHUCK

To reach your Alderman, call 603-589-3030 ALDERMEN-AT-LARGE David Rootovich 603-891-0039 James R.Tollner 603-566-1267 Steven A. Bolton 603-886-0205 David W. Deane 603-882-9617 Brian S. McCarthy 603-880-1606 Fred S.Teeboom 603-889-2316 WARD ALDERMEN Ward 1 Mark S. Cookson 603-892-3207 Ward 2 Richard LaRose 603-889-6049 Ward 3 Daniel Richardson 603-546-5554 Ward 4 Marc W. Plamondon 603-889-7876 Ward 5 Michael J.Tabacsko 603-880-4666 Ward 6 Robert A. Dion 603-882-9141 Ward 7 Richard P. Flynn 603-883-1223 Ward 8 Dave McLaughlin 603-891-2397 Ward 9 Gregory Williams 603-881-7109

Budget season in Nashua isn’t pretty. Residents have protested at City Hall, news stories each day tell of the budget turmoil and by some accounts, taxpayers might still face a 5 percent tax increase when it’s all over.

There’s an awful lot of talk about budgets and even more talk about cutting those budgets.

But in the midst of all of this talk, nothing is being said about Pennichuck and the city’s attempted takeover of the company – and just how costly it has become.

So far, the city has spent or committed $1.2 million on this battle. And the costs are mounting.

Now, city officials owe their lawyers and consultants over $200,000 for work they completed on the attempted hostile takeover through February 2006 and aldermen plan to pay another $100,000 to the firms that would like to oversee the water system, should the city ever acquire it. To top it off, there’s another $900,000 estimated to be spent on consultants through the remainder of this year.

In total, city officials will have spent or committed up to $3 million by the end of the year on the Pennichuck battle, with a highly uncertain outcome.

But city officials don’t want to talk about that.

They would rather discuss how to shave millions off of the city’s budget – and ignore the millions they’re spending on the takeover of Pennichuck.

City services and jobs are on the chopping block and school officials are fighting a proposed $1.9 million reduction in salary increases for teachers, a proposed $850,000 reduction for elementary and middle schools and a proposed $500,000 reduction in special education out-of-district placements.

It seems that city leaders will gladly make cuts in the most important areas while funneling tax dollars into an effort that a majority of residents oppose.

It’s time residents hear about what’s going on behind the scenes as budget discussions take center stage. And it’s time city leaders talk about how ridiculous it is that they’re wasting tax dollars that could fund important city services.

Call your aldermen and let them know where you stand – it’s time to start talking about what’s really going on.

Pennichuck Corporation
New Hampshire’s Oldest
Continuously Operating Business
March 26, 2006