President Bush has no way said that he would privatize us that are already on Social Security. That is a lie of the left and also the AARP, membership of which, as a born-again Christian, I cancelled because of their left-wing liberal bias.

It's all right for them to invest with our dues and with that I side with Bill O'Reilly on Fox and have faxed to my Congressmen in Washington not to be influenced by the AARP. Bush's tax cuts, too, were not just for the wealthy, and besides, even "if" - who provides jobs and creates businesses to put people to work? The wealthy.

I am a retiree and I would have given anything years ago to be able to have invested in an IRA or an annuity and the choices with my Social Security that privatization would provide.

I want my eight grandchildren to have choices, to be able to invest and, with interest, be able to be solvent in their old age, not living on low-income Social Security as I've had to and many of my friends.

Furthermore, what's wrong with Wall Street? That's what makes our economy work.

As for his tax cuts? Well, I'm glad my divorced daughter with four kids who struggles as a single mom can count on President George Bush's tax cuts when refunds come in. Thank you, God, for a president that helped her.

Mr. Carr, you need to study some economics and see the real disaster for the future if Social Security isn't reckoned with. We are not where we were in this country when Roosevelt started Social Security.

It was not meant to be longterm and continued to be a fast fix.

Furthermore, privatizing does not mean everyone. You would have the choice. Invest or not invest. I mean, after all, it is obvious that some people like you just may not have the ability to make choices to plan for their old age.

I encourage you to visit Barnes and Noble and start looking at how to build a portfolio, and what to invest in and the high interest rates with some of these investments. Even banks offer annuities now for those of us over 60 at almost 8 percent. So do financial planners with insurance companies.

The states are slowly going to take away Medicaid for the poor and elderly as well. We have the greatest country in the world, and the strongest economy.

Stop wallowing and start having vision. We need change!

In a democracy, people complain without suffering. In a dictatorship people suffer without complaining.

Mr. Carr, thank God that you're in a democracy and both of us can agree to disagree. God bless America and the success of Iraq.
Jan Worthen
Goffstown

Located along a wonderfully natural and scenic stretch of river - a designated river under the state of New Hampshire's River Management Program - this one-of-a-kind property possesses distinctive topographical features, provides extensive wildlife habitat and is surrounded by a 740-plus acre block of unfragmented land that clearly represents the rural character New Boston residents have worked so hard to protect.

When the developer, Lull Road Corporation (LRC) comes before the ZBA on Feb. 15, they must show that their proposal meets certain criteria in order to gain approval.

Specifically, they must show that the proposed gravel operation will not adversely affect:

• The capacity of existing or planned community facilities.
• The character of the area affected.
• Traffic on roads and highways in the immediate vicinity.

While items one and three are fairly objective questions, two is not.

How the ZBA defines the character of the area could have far-reaching implications.

Merriam Webster defines "character" as "distinguishing feature" or "attribute" or as the complex of traits that mark a person or group.

Following are two of the distinguishing features of this area, and how they will be affected by this proposal.

Unique topographic qualities: This property is characterized by features that the glaciers deposited in the last Ice Age. Skirting the west bank of the Middle Branch River is a particularly striking example of such a deposit, a glacial esker. Ridgelines like this running parallel to a river create excellent wildlife corridors, and this hill is no exception.

Wildlife is abundant. The proposed gravel operation would flatten these eskers, turning what was once an area of sloping, forested land into a flat and barren area.

Scenic and natural river environment and views: Acanoe trip down the Piscataquog River takes you along the eastern boundary of the property. Coming from up river looking east, one sees more than 125 acres of state-protected forest, to the west, the largest hill on the property rises steeply from the rivers edge.

As you float downstream, you are surrounded by a natural wilderness, providing wildlife habitat, picturesque views and a sense of serenity and beauty that is increasingly difficult to find elsewhere.

The proposed gravel operation would tear down this hill and haul it away, leaving the river open to not only the gravel operation, but the subdivision to follow.

For the first few years, the sounds of heavy machinery, screeners, loaders and excavators will fill the air as aquatic and plant life smothers under a thick carpet of dust.

The land will rapidly dissolve away as truck load after truck load of materials are removed from the site and it becomes flattened, eventually a fully depleted gravel pit.

When all the materials have finally been removed, the site will be rebuilt as some type of residential subdivision with no guarantee of protection for the land or the river that remains. From the river the sounds of machinery will be replaced by cars traveling a paved roadway, lawnmowers, stereos, all the typical sounds one hears in a suburban neighborhood, but hopes not to hear on a remote stretch of river.

Clearly the character of this area will not only be adversely affected, it will be destroyed. How the ZBA chooses to define and protect this area's character will have a precedent setting effect on land uses in the future. Already much of the property has been clear cut in preparation for the gravel operation.

Trees, however, can grow back - the land cannot. Now is time to stand up for the values our community represents.

This land deserves the protection our residents intended to provide by the ordinances they wrote.

If you are willing to stand up and protect the rural character of our community, attend the ZBA hearing on Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. or voice your opinion to a ZBA member.

Take a stand and get involved, because once these lands are destroyed, they can never be replaced.
Jon Brooks
New Boston

This year voters have a number of choices for how to get a handle on this problem. I commend the planning board, Profile Growth Management Committee and resident Chuck Bolton for taking on the challenge.

We must adopt a growth management plan this year, or the flood gates will open with the expiration of last year's oneyear temporary growth ordinance.

Because of the severe overcrowding at the Weare Middle School, we need to immediately impose a limit on the rate of residential growth.

Because the plan proposed by the Profile Committee does that, by limiting the number of new residences that can be built each year, I support their proposal, Article 20.

While the planning board plan - Article 3 - is a wise alternative for the longer term, until we have more school capacity it is an inadequate solution.

We need to cap the number of new building permits now. There are already more than a hundred existing, unbuilt house lots in town.

The planning board's proposal to slow the rate of new lot creation does not help solve the school space crisis. We should, however, transition to the planning board's approach once we have a new middle school.

The planning board's proposal to revise the cluster housing ordinance, on the other hand, is excellent. It will require that new developments adopt this neighborhood style approach that also saves open space, unless the project is very small.

Finally, with mixed feelings, I will support the petition proposal by Mr. Bolton to increase minimum lot sizes in the rural/agricultural zone to 5 acres.

Voters should remember that in this zone, on gravel roads, the minimum size is already 10 acres. Increasing lot size on paved roads to 5 acres will, in combination with the planning board's new cluster ordinance, save a lot of open space in our town. But if the cluster ordinance does not pass, the unfortunate unintended consequence of the 5-acre rule could be to increase sprawl, by making more houses spread out farther across the landscape.

I urge voters to adopt both ordinances.

Growth management ordinances are being adopted in towns all around us.

If we fail to do so in Weare, we will become a magnet for uncontrolled residential subdivision and development.

The result will be calamitous for our schools, our quality of life and our tax rate.
Paul A. Doscher
Weare

Last Friday after the Red Cross Blood Drive at St. Lawrence Church, my wife and I, along with some friends, went to Patrick's for supper. Serendipity seems to bring on the most fun in life. And so it was that evening.

The plan was to get a quick bite to eat and go to a movie. Instead we ended up staying for a wonderful evening. As it happens, Mel was short-staffed that night due to a variety of circumstances. As a result, the service was a bit slower than his usual standards. But not to worry.

To our delight, Mel has contracted to have the locally renowned pianist Paul Bordeleau entertain his guests on Friday evenings. What followed was a delightful evening of old-time standards, with even a few sing-alongs. It was a cabaret-like atmosphere. Patrons were saddened to see Mr. Bordeleau's gig end for the evening.

And oh, by the way, the food was definitely up to Mel's usual high standards. Everything is made right there in his own kitchen, not out of a freezer. If you are looking for an entertaining dinner out with music and a crackling fireplace, then go to Patrick's Country Restaurant on Friday.

This is not a paid advertisement at all. We simply enjoyed ourselves very much and wanted to share the experience with the rest of the community.
Maurice Demers
Goffstown

I have come to the conclusion that there is a desperate need for new space. As a former teacher, I wouldn't want my children in those buildings and I wouldn't want to be a teacher there either.

The classrooms are small and poorly equipped for the needs of specialized subjects like science and art. The students need to move from building to building several times a day, walking outdoors for about 100 feet. My granddaughter said she did seven trips a day. There are health hazards for the students in inclement weather.

There is a serious shortage of space. Teachers of children with special needs get some of the odd little spaces, like a former closet, to use as a classroom. They were getting ready to put a classroom into the library, thus limiting access to the information that students need.

I looked at the plans for the new building. I feel they are modest. They will meet the state requirements for space and equipment.

The future of our society lies in our children. I encourage you to vote for a new building. The students deserve to learn in comfortable surroundings.
Nancy W. Getzin
Fort Wayne, Ind.

I am referring to the continuing contentious proposal to allow a developer to rape 115 acres of prime wooded area adjacent to Tirrell Hill Road. These 115 acres, which will support 265 houses, in addition to the 120 acres of wetland, comprise the single largest remaining wooded lot in Goffstown.

And for some unexplained reason, the planning board and the selectmen all want to push through an agenda which would allow a developer from Auburn to clear cut the top and western slope of the ridge. Even the developer's own environmentalist, who gave a descriptive presentation of all the wildlife, flora and fauna that would be decimated and displaced because of this development, admits that this parcel is a wonderful habitat for wildlife and loaded with a variety of plants and trees.

My first thought was that this sounds like a great place for a park with hiking trails. But that's just me. Why would the planning board want to preserve nature when we could have 265 houses on septic systems, two cars per household, with only one way in and out of the neighborhood, belching emissions into the air, and clear cut land with hundreds of street and house lights brightly illuminating the night sky? Let me take a stab here. Could it be the almighty dollar? Or is it just some good old backrubbing?

At last Thursday night's planning board meeting the developer was asking for an extension on his conditional-use permit. He says he needs this extension because a large group of abutters and concerned residents have filed an appeal of the planning board's granting of the conditional-use permit.

Our group filed this appeal because this developer couldn't provide potable water. Now, I don't know how many of you have had to deal with the planning board or the zoning board, but if Average Joe applied to build a house and told the board that you'd figure out where your water was coming from later, they'd kick you out on your keester all the while shaking their heads and laughing at you. But for some reason they just pander to this developer who has not yet specified his source of water for not just one, but 277 houses.

I'm sure all of you are thinking I must be leaving something out. And you're right. This planning board prematurely accepted this application 14 months ago and the developer is still working on the water problem. At first, he had this grandiose plan of piping water in from Manchester. But that must have been too expensive. So now he's trying to come to an agreement with the Grasmere Water District. It's still too expensive. The district wants him to pay for the larger water mains. The audacity of them! Where do they get off with that idea? Last Wednesday the Grasmere Water District Board had a meeting to discuss the points of disagreement. Guess who didn't even bother to show up for the meeting. That's right, the developer or one of his puppets. Doesn't sound like he's trying too hard to resolve his issue. Must be trying to play hardball with the little people of Grasmere. They're sure to cave to his demands at some point.

So, back to the planning board meeting and the request for an extension. We addressed the board and explained succinctly that the appeal filed by our group has had no effect whatsoever in preventing the developer from fulfilling his obligations required in the conditional- use permit. The plain and simple reason the extension is needed is because the developer has failed to obtain water for his project. He didn't have it 14 months ago when he submitted his application, he didn't have it six months ago when the conditional use permit was granted and he still doesn't have it now. We asked the board to treat his application like they would any other applicant and deny the extension request. If he wanted to continue on, he could reapply.

Guess what happened? They gave him the extension. While disgusting and frustrating, it was perfectly predictable. The board's problem is that if they make the applicant reapply, new criteria that greatly restricts density which was voted in by Goffstown residents last March will apply to this proposed housing project. If this happens, the project will no longer be financially viable to this developer. And this is where the connection becomes fuzzy. What is the relationship between the selectmen, zoning board, planning board, economic development committee and the historic district commission and this developer?

What the heck is going on, that all these boards and committees blatantly ignore the requests and desires of a large group of concerned citizens who helped vote these people into their positions to represent them? Are they succumbing to something more powerful than their duty to serve the citizens of Goffstown?

One of the relationships is that the property on Tirrell Hill Road is part of a package deal. The developer is being forced to buy the old mill parcel on Factory Street. All these groups want this eyesore redeveloped and this developer is their patsy. Of course, he's come up with a wonderful proposal that's just going to inject all kinds of life into Goffstown.

Or so he's got all these groups believing as he dangles that carrot out there. So I invite you to watch these sessions on TV or better yet come to the meetings and watch as the chairman gives a token tongue-lashing to the developer, probably only to call him later and explain he had to do that for the public.

Come see your representatives hard at work. Come be appalled.
John Hartnet
Goffstown

Mr. Bush has called for "sacrifices" from future retirees, who count on that social security pension insurance to not have to live those golden years in poverty.

Hmmm. He's asking for sacrifice from people who work their whole lives creating profits for corporate brotherhood; but not only does he not ask them to sacrifice one iota, he has billions in taxpayer-funded tax rebates and subsidies to these companies.

He also hasn't asked any sacrifice of the wealthy Americans who saw the windfall millions in three tax cuts.

I see. Wipe out a reasonable tax on aristocrats inheriting multi-million dollar estates, but grab the $900-a-month Grammy struggles to live on.

Who cares if she outlives her new "private account," not Bush and his big financial management cronies. They will gain billions in new fees.

A reverse Robin Hood if I ever saw one.

What has happened to America? Is no one thinking?

Evidently 55 million voters think Bush's plans are just fine. God help us, because Mr. Bush surely won't.

Don't let him steal our future security by scaring us with bogus numbers and lies. The full-court press of twisted facts and trumped-up crisis is on, don't fall for it.

"Follow the money," as my father always said. Be heard, our future generations, sacrifices will be too great.
Jeanne Stapleton
New Boston