NH has a long-time tradition of late-winter, early-springtime ‘town meetings’ at which spending is decided and local laws are adopted or repealed via warrant articles that are placed on the ballot.

On Page 15 of this document the State of NH has provided basic rules for on submitting petitions for warrant articles.

A sample article has been provided to each town and is available on request.

Please check the official website of your town to see when your meetings and deliberative sessions for the town and school business will occur or if your town does not put this information on the web, call them. Find out just how much is in your town and school budgets, and plan to be in attendance!

Did you know that your local property taxes mostly go to pay for EDUCATION? Find out what you are getting for those dollars. Is your town about to buy a new ‘fad’ program from an outside entity, and how many administrators are employed in the school system as opposed to subject teachers? How much and for what are they asking for more money? Is your town chomping at the bit to build a new, expensive school?

Also, find out things such as, is your town using your tax dollars to buy conservation land and then hand it to private companies?

If you want to bone up on what goes on at town meetings or how to submit warrant articles for consideration and vote, please contact us and/or plan to attend one of our second Saturday meetings.

Also, consider running for local office.

It is almost time to file for town offices for those of us who don’t live in cities. The filing period is usually the last week in January. Check with your town clerk to find out what offices are in need of candidates. The town elections are on 3/9.

Those who live in SB2 towns have deliberative sessions coming up soon and those with traditional town meeting have town and school district meetings right around the election of 3/9. Please attend these meetings and bring your friends along. Please refer to RSA 40:13 for more information about SB2.

If you have a budget committee in your town, attend the public hearing and suggest ways the town can save money.

Some upcoming town meeting information may be posted as we get it, in the Town Meeting category.

Results: Please send us your results as you get them, on money items and liberty issues especially!

And don’t forget to read our list of things to watch for at Town Meetings!