Board of Aldermen — 3/21/17 Page 2
| think if we pass this wastewater special revenue fund, if we conform this with the city charter and with state
law, and if we treat it as we have past prior revenue funds, | think we can manage expenses to bring in at least
higher than what we want but a reasonable tax rate given all of these huge increases that we are being hit with
over expenses where we have no control whatsoever. | would ask the Board to adopt the recommendation of
the finance committee and pass the ordinance as proposed.
Second, Mr. President, | wanted to mention the Veterans Tax Credit. The ordinance would authorize the city
pursuant to a law which is now on the books to expand the Veterans Tax Credit to include all veterans. Right
now it is only veterans that served during a period of conflict as defined by state law. This is a step, | believe,
we should take but if passed tonight it has a couple of effects which | think we should attempt to mitigate. First
of all as the bill at the legislature is written now, it does nto authorize the city to phase in this veterans tax
credit, and it would take immediate effect. In addition to all the other impacts on the tax rate that | just talked
about in context of the wastewater fund, we would also be raising taxes by an additional the assessor thinks
$670,000 or getting up towards another % percent for this particular item. The state senate, because we’re not
the only ones to notice the sort of severe impact that this could have in the short term, has passed a bill, | think
without opposition, that would enable any community to phase in a veterans tax credit over a period of several
years. This was not even a bill that we proposed. This was promoted apparently by other communities. Again
it passed the Senate, | think on a voice vote. If passed by the House, which | think it will be because it passed
the Senate so easily, it would enable us and other communities to phase in the expanded veterans tax credit
over a period of several years. If we want to take advantage of that phasing, we need to wait for the state bill
to pass at the House and be signed by the Governor so we could adopt that procedure. | ask that you table
this, wait for the state law to pass and then enact this with an amendment calling for a phased-in approach.
Next, Mr. President, | wanted to mention something else that | don’t think the Board is probably aware of yet
and that is a petition that has been filed in the Probate Court to move funds, the endowment for the former Arts
and Science Center. Take those funds, move them out of Nashua and give them to the Currier. This is
$950,000 of endowment that was intended to benefit the Nashua Arts Center, which is the fire station. When
the Arts and Science Center was created, the Articles of Agreement provided that the mission of the Center
and of the organization, and | think of the bequest that funded it, and the bequest was by Edith Carter, the
purpose was to provide classes, exhibits and performances in the arts and sciences, enrich the lives of the
community through the arts and science, and provide opportunities and facilities for arts, cultural, civic and
community groups. Right now at that same center we are, through a number of organizations, fulfilling that
mission. We have the Peacock Players there who are providing classes and performances in the arts for in
that case children. We have the ActorSingers who also perform there. We have the Nashua Theatre Guild
that performs there. The Symphony has its offices there. The Center, as it currently exists, at least in my
opinion, fulfills the mission and the purpose of the bequest. I’ve asked the city legal department to look into
this, to take a position on this petition before the Probate Court to ask that the funds remain in Nashua. If we
need to create some new organization then we should do that but this bequest was made to benefit Nashua, to
benefit the arts, and the community here and | don’t think should be moved. Therefore, we hope to take a
position in this litigation and see if we can retain the funds here in our community.
Finally, Mr. President, | wanted to mention that there are several items that are coming up this coming
weekend that members might want to consider. First of all there is a pancake breakfast - they are all on
Saturday morning — at 10:00 a.m. for the benefit of the Corpus Christi Food Bank. That’s going to take place at
589 West Hollis Street. There is a Greek Independence Day celebration. | believe that is at 11:00 a.m. out
front of city hall. There is the Awareness is Healing Walk to End Heroin Walk which will originate at Greeley at
noon. Last year there was close to 1000 people participating in that walk. Darlene Pena is the principal
organizer, and | think it will be another big event and designed to raise awareness regarding heroin addiction
and create the hope for people that are in the grips of addiction. They can join others who have found their
way out of an addiction. If any members of the Board wish to participate in that, you would of course be
extremely welcome.
That’s all | have, Mr. President.
