To friends and neighbors in canterbury and loudon: On Nov. 5 we’ll have the opportunity and duty to select our state representatives for the next two years. Ed Friedrich and Ruth Heath are waiting in the wings to take on that role. In Canterbury, we are informed that our school property tax rates will be going up, so that I, for instance, out of my retirement budget, will be paying an additional $500 for just the school portion of my tax bill. New Hampshire ranks 50th in state support for public education, leaving our towns to cover 70% of our public education budget.

In the meantime, the state has left $150 million on the table by repealing the Interest and Dividends Tax. That tax could be reinstated with an exemption on the first $50,000, and an 8% tax on I and D income above $50,000. The state recently made cuts to business taxes which could be returned to their previous levels. The Rooms and Meals tax was recently not only cut by half a percent but the amount of that tax returned to municipalities compared to the amount held by the state was also cut. This impacts the municipalities’ part of the property tax in addition to the inadequate state contribution to the education budget. I could go on, but the point is, come Nov. 5, please vote for Ruth Heath and Ed Friedrich to represent us in the state legislature. Vote Harris and Walz, too!

Fred Portnoy

Canterbury