Camarota: Town Of Bedford's Ballot

Dear Bedford neighbors:

Many Bedford residents are busy working and raising their families and have little time to keep up with town and school Warrant Articles to be voted on March 11th 7:00 am-7:00 pm at BHS. I preface this by outright saying that Bedford elected officials continue to spend as if our families are not dealing with the worst inflation and tax increases in decades. Artificially inflated home prices have allowed skyrocketing local taxes. Taxpayers deserve a break and you will have some control on March 11.

Allow me to share my first hand impressions of the public hearings and both deliberative sessions of February 3rd and 4th. Chapter 1 covers the Town Council side. Chapter 2 will soon follow covering the Bedford School District Warrant Articles excluding Citizen Petition Warrant Article 6. Chapter 3 will detail Warrant Article 6, a Citizen Petition Warrant Article signed by 51 registered voters asking whether there was an interest in setting a tax cap based on RSA 32:5-b.

If all Town warrant articles pass, there will be an estimated $0.49/$1,000 or $294 dollar increase in next tax year based on $600,000 home.

Chapter 1. Town Council (TC): Articles 1 and 2 are Elections and Zoning Amendments.

Article 3: The South River Road fire substation has been redesigned removing the police station. The fire substation cost now is $8,935,000. Opponents believe the project needs more analysis in terms of town-wide fire coverage and future town building renovation needs.
Article 3 is slated for 10-year long term debt. Tax impact: $0.007-$0.172 over next 2 years and further reductions through 2035.

Article 4: Who doesn’t love kids’ sports? Parks and Recreation article combines 3 separate projects totaling $3,226,000. The Town Council rejected the idea to have each project on separate articles; it preferred adding the $3,226,000 to our long term debt. Once again, it’s an all or nothing warrant article as it was last year with the South River Road fire and police complex, existing police station and town office renovations.

In Article 4, what if the voter wanted to approve only the skateboard park this year ($800,000)? Or, approve enlarging Swenson Fields without concession and restroom facilities ($2,425,990 minus $700,000 restroom & concession facilities) bringing it down to $1,725,990 and perhaps avoiding long term debt. Portable potties work in an isolated seasonal field complex. Others voiced concern that the Bedford Little League (BLL) is a nonprofit with many such leagues largely funded by local community organizations, fees from participants, and sponsors such as The Elliot and BEI Networks which are sponsors of BLL. Abutters to the Swenson Fields shared they were disappointed that abutters were not informed of this project. It came as a surprise to them to learn of the substantial increased field usage, parking & traffic concerns and the nighttime lighting. The third Article 4 project is to reconstruct the Nashua Road Complex for $293,436.
Bedford taxpayers’ choices are limited with the design of Article 4. Original TC vote: 4:3 opposed. Voice vote of TC members changed at the deliberative session when BLL offered to throw in $100,000. When and how that money is delivered is unknown and the total cost in the warrant article is unchanged - $3,226,000 - 10-year debt - Tax impact: $0.003/$1,000 year one. 2026 - about $0.07/$1,000.
Article 5 Sebbins Pond Watershed.

Article 6 Proposed Town Operating Budget: $38,888,919 is a 3.68% increase over 2024. If you would like a decrease in the tax rate, the default budget of $38,346,648 is $542,271 less than proposed. The 2024 adopted budget was $37,508,146 so the 2025 default budget is $838,502 more than last year’s budget. The 2025 Proposed operating budget is $1,380,773 or 2.24% over 2024 adopted budget.

Article 7 Capital Reserve Fund Projects & Equipment: $2,606,430 coming from new taxation $0.42/$1,000. This year, the TC could offer a true flat budget by taking a year off from taxing us to put more money in this piggy bank. Looks like there was $3,280,325 added in 2023 & another $2,266,032 added in 2024’s Capital Reserve Fund.
Article 8 Greenfield Parkway Bridge Replacement - State Bridge aid involved. Zero tax impact. Article 9 Beals Road bridge replacement State Bridge aid. Article 10 Old Bedford Road Sidewalk - Zero tax impact. Town responsible for upkeep & snow removal. Article 11 Additional Road maintenance - $400,000 - Tax impact: $0.06/$1,000

This concludes Chapter 1. Check back soon for Chapters 2 and 3.

Linda Rea Camarota