Nashua Aldermen Approve $236M Budget

Tuesday night the Board of Aldermen voted 10-4 to adopt the 2014 budget in the amount of $236 million.

Aldermen Jim Donchess, David Deane, Dan Moriarty and Barbara Pressly voted against the budget, all of them citing particular reservations – Donchess and Pressly mainly objected to the Mayor's overall handling of the downtown sidewalk project, while Moriarty expressed his dismay over a bottom line he said taxpayers just can't afford. He also said he did not agree with school spending that is "out of balance," with too much going toward salaries and not enough toward building maintenance.

Deane, made some final attempts to amend line items, but was voted down on all fronts. He also questioned Lozeau on the labor and overtime costs associated with the sidewalk project.

"I'm gong to put in legislation to put an end to this nonsense," said Deane. "Next thing you know we will have all these project with all this labor built into it outside the actual product. I just have an issue with this."

Alderman Mark Cookson was excused from the meeting.

Prior to the vote, Lozeau said that even with the $38,000 in cuts, she still regards it as a "solid budget."

During the budget workshop process, Aldermen voted to cut $50,000 from the city welfare department and $13,000 from the proposed 2014 salary for the Director of Community Development. Current Director Kathy Hersh is retiring at the end of June.

Added to the budget was $25,000 for on the school side in matching funds for the Donors Choose program, which helps teachers fund classroom materials.

The bottom line for taxpayers and businesses will be a tax increase of less than 3 percent, Lozeau said.

"It will result in an increase to taxes, but also resulting in no decline to services," Lozeau said. At this point people need stability in tax rates – kicking the can down the road for it to be someone else's problem is not an option."

In other business, the Board also passed an ordinance that would allow for the purchase of tablets for board members to recieve materials electronically, in an effort to reduce spending on paper copies and delivery service for distribution of informational packets.