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An interesting point was made at Hooksett Town Meeting regarding our cable TV bills. It seems that the town of Hooksett gets more than $40,000 a year as a franchise fee from Comcast, but it's not Comcast that pays that money, it's the subscribers . us. Cable TV bills come with an extra charge tacked on to pay that franchise fee, the money is collected by Comcast, and then given to the town of Hooksett, where it goes into the general fund.

That means Hooksett has turned Comcast into a tax collection agency, and only some of Hooksett's residents are paying this tax. Sound fair to you? It's not like this money is benefitting cable TV subscribers. We have yet to hear town officials say they should be using this money for a community access TV channel. No way. In fact, the argument was presented at Town Meeting that if this $40,000-plus is taken out of the general fund, it's just money that will have to be made up by the taxpayers as a whole.

Well, we think this is unfair. Not all Hooksett residents are paying their fair share of this tax, only cable TV subscribers. Dish subscribers don't have to pay this fee. How about making Shaw's collect a tax for the town on our groceries? It would be the same principle at work. At least with road tolls, it is the people who drive on those roads who pay the bill for keeping them up.

To us, there are two choices here. Stop requiring Comcast to collect franchise fees and let them operate their business like any other business in town, or use that money to benefit the cable TV subscribers. We think a community access channel that helps keep Hooksett informed about local issues would be of enormous benefit to town. That $40,000 per year would be plenty to equip and operate a community channel. We also think that shining the light of public access on Hooksett's town and school boards would be in everyone's best interest.

-Ginger Kozlowski, Editor

To the Editor:
My fellow Granite Staters, are you as tired of the seemingly endless argument over funding our public schools as I am?

It has been almost a decade since the New Hampshire Supreme Court said, in effect, paying for public schools is the state’s responsibility.

Nevertheless, the arguing continues between donor towns and property-poor towns. Actually, the argument over New Hampshire’s reliance on the local property tax to pay for public schools predates the Supreme Court’s Claremont Decisions of the 1990s by 30 to 40 years.

Well, it’s time to stop arguing like children and start thinking of the children.

New England is the birthplace of America’s public school system. We taught the country how to educate its citizens. And then America taught the world!

First, from the Kaiser in World War I, then from Hitler and Tojo in World War II, and then from Communism. We are now facing new threats in the complex world we now inhabit.

In the United States, the organization and funding of local school districts is left to the individual states. Some states, such as Hawaii, send the school districts as much as 90 percent of the cost of running their public schools. Other states send aid to a lesser degree.

Before The Claremont rulings, the state of New Hampshire sent aid to local school districts amounting to 7 percent of the cost of running the schools – 7 cents of a dollar.

We were 51st out the 50 states behind the District of Columbia (which by-the-way, is administered by the Congress of the United States) in the financial support of our public schools.

Don’t for a minute think New Hampshire is the only state to be told by its highest court to change the way it pays for public schools.

As many as 35 of the 50 states have at one time or another over the past 80 years had to supplement the property tax to pay for public schools.

I for one am ashamed New Hampshire has let the argument become a “tiff” over money. Which town is getting state money? Which town is giving the state money? Whoever said, “Money is the root of all evil,” knew what they were talking about.

I am a father and grandfather. It was my responsibility as one of two parents to provide for and protect our children. I gave them love, food, clothing and shelter.

I had the help of my communities’ fellow taxpayers when it came to providing them with an education.

I couldn’t have managed without their help – $5,000 or $6,000 a year for 12 years, times three kids! It adds up!

As I said, we can’t continue to squabble over money. We need to come up with a plan that will provide enough funds to allow all the school children in New Hampshire to get a quality education.

Is there one plan that will satisfy everyone? Probably not. But once a consensus has been reached we have to step back and see if it works; not run to court and argue over who is getting the most state money and who isn’t.

Remember, federal, state, county, local taxes – it’s all “our money.” And another point, we will have conducted ourselves as responsible adults.

When it comes to public education, your children, my children – they are New Hampshire’s children, too. Yes, they live with you in your house in your city or town, but their education is New Hampshire’s responsibility.

And, when our children graduate from high school and move on to higher education or the working environment, they will school the world on how New Hampshire students are prepared to deal with the challenges presented to them.

First up is Barrett's view that Bush wants to "fix things now," partly with private accounts. But even Bush has been forced to admit that private accounts do nothing toward making Social Security solvent - if, indeed, it's not solvent as it is, as some economists believe it may be.

Private accounts would, however, saddle us with $1 to $2 trillion of additional debt over the next decade, plus (based on a Congressional Budget Office analysis of Plan 2 of Bush's 2001 special presidential commission) an additional cost of $3 trillion in its second decade, $5 trillion in the decade after that, and $5 trillion in the decade after that - for a grand total of $15 trillion of additional debt on which interest would have to be paid! That's $15 trillion of additional government IOUs, Mr. Barrett, if the picture is unclear.

Second, is Barrett's idea that since Bush can't run for reelection he has more credibility on Social Security than most congressmen. What that means, it's impossible to say, but since Bush has had to backtrack on the notion that saving Social Security entailed setting up private accounts, his credibility - if he had any to begin with - seems to me to have entirely dissipated. And if his long-term aim is to kill Social Security, as seems to be the case, I find no evidence that he's credibly admitting it.

Barrett says that "Social Security is not a citizen's right," but is "an integral, growing part of our current federal deficit" - which sounds to me as though he'd like to kill off Social Security entirely. But, "current" federal deficit, sir? And what ever happened to the year 2018 - disappeared from the calendar?

Until that year, as you must know, the Social Security trust fund will continue to grow. Or is that only a prose fact and not worth mentioning?

Anyone who's ever visited Hooksett Town Offices knows the facility is small and cramped. It's difficult to park and determine which entrance to use. Offices are small and cluttered, with less than optimal working conditions for town employees. The town hall and council chambers are quite small for a growing town the size of Hooksett.

Also, in numerous forums, townspeople have indicated their desire for a community center. In the 2001 Community Profile, development of a community center and relief of Route 3 traffic congestion were identified as the two highest priority issues facing the town. Various existing community groups voiced a desire for a home they can call their own.

Article 4 presents the voters with the opportunity to resolve the town hall space problem and bring the community center one important step closer to realization.

As many people know, the former Village School was sold to the town for $1 for potential use as a new town hall and community center. This is a valuable asset for the town, located in the heart of the village section everyone has expressed a desire to rejuvenate. The consultants have determined that a $1.5 million investment in the Village School building will give us a larger and more efficient town office, with room for expanded council chambers, department offices, conference rooms and storage rooms. The common areas of the building will be upgraded and the parking and roadways will be reconfigured. Once the building is upgraded, the town can make space available for the community center.

It's important to understand that passage of Article 4 will not result in the immediate opening of a community center! It will lay the groundwork to make development of a community center possible by preparing the building. The Community Economic Development Corporation of Hooksett (CEDCOH) will then begin a capital campaign to raise the funds necessary to complete development of the community center. Please take this important step for Hooksett's future and vote for passage of Article 4!

I see Memorial School, on Memorial Drive, gets Hooksett Road marked with lights, signs, paint, a turning lane and crosswalks. The Cawley School gets all but the lights. The college gets speed bumps, signs, paint, lights, cops and apparently anything they want. The Derryfield gets 24-hour signs.

Underhill School gets zip, zero, nada. They should have Martins Ferry marked. Nearmisses are common at the intersection. The youngest children are being endangered by the stubbornness of the town. I guess it's my fault, being a tireless opponent to their freespending ways. I'm sorry. I'm all done asking them, it's your turn. My kids don't even go to that school. My focus will be narrowed to the bigger issues, like being able to afford to even live here.

P's. May John Paul II and Terry Schiavo rest in the arms of The Lord. May God have mercy on us all for not being more like John Paul and saving Terry. He could only tell us it was wrong, we could have done something.

I went shopping on Sunday, April 3, at BJ's Wholesale Club in Hooksett in the late morning to pick up some diapers and formula for my son. On the way out, I put my son into his car seat and then proceeded to put my purchases in the car. I didn't realize it at the time, but I left my wallet in the cart and returned it to the carriage holder.

Monday morning came, and when I went to the grocery store to buy some much needed milk, I realized my wallet was not anywhere to be found in the car. That is when panic sets in and you begin to retrace all your steps. Where was I last? What was in my wallet? A lot of questions start to fill your mind and you feel the burn at the pit of your stomach, you think, my drivers license, credit cards, cash, pictures of my son, etc.

I remembered that I only went to BJ's the day before and I immediately called the store. During my time of press 1, press 2, press 3 and then being put on hold, I thought, "Oh no, someone honest found my wallet and turned it in, I am sure of it" only because that's what I would have done if I found someone's wallet or purse.

Of course the evil side of human nature prevailed. My wallet was not turned in. No one saw it, no one knew anything about it. It was gone.

My question is this. Why can't the person who found my wallet take the cash and turn in the wallet or leave it for some honest person to find it and turn it in. If you needed the cash that bad then fine, but can't you leave the rest of the wallet so that the person who lost it doesn't have to call frantically to every credit card they think they remember having in their wallet and then have to take time out of their life to get a new drivers license all because you decided to be greedy? Do you know what that feels like to lose those important pieces of information? What about the photo of my son, can I at least get that back?

My hope is that the maintenance man at BJ's finds my discarded wallet in the trash so that I can get back what is so precious to me. In the meantime, I am left to wonder where are the honest people in this world?

One other point to ponder, what if the reward money for my wallet was more than what was in my wallet? I guess that person will never know. I honestly believe that in this life, what goes around comes around.

Four-square is a child's game, and with the wisdom of adulthood comes the realization that "do-overs" are not fair and reasonable ... except in Hooksett. It seems that the Hooksett School Board is not happy with the result of recent citizen voting and are calling a "do-over" so that they can get a more favorable result. Not only is this being done for the operating budget, but also for the leftover bond money. Don't like the result? That's OK, just call a "do-over."

It shouldn't matter that the voter turnout was low. It was what it was and the citizens who did vote spoke, whether I or anyone else agrees with it. It doesn't matter that some feel that the results would have been different if more citizens had voted. The process is the process, or at least it should be. Can you imagine Al Gore being allowed to call a "doover?" Can you imagine what that would have done to our country if he had been able to? If the Village School renovation bond fails (or passes), will there be someone out there calling for a "do-over."

Though we may not like the results, we should accept them and move on. Work towards change in the future; don't cheapen the process that has made our vote so very important. Otherwise, Hooksett may need to change a very popular slogan to "Your Vote Counts... Maybe!"

If you have anything you'd like to donate, please contact Corri Wilson at 785-5842. Equipment can also be dropped off at the baseball field at Donati Park during Little League Field Clean-Up Day on Saturday, April 9, between 9 a.m. and noon.

And, when I retire in 10 years or so, I have no right to expect any Social Security payments?

One referred to open space, wetland and aquifer protection. Another proposed a much needed controlled-growth ordinance for Hooksett and a third addressed zoning changes at a very busy intersection in town. All three were signed by hundreds of Hooksett taxpaying residents.

Ultimately the board decided (not unanimously) to “not recommend” any of these three on the upcoming May ballot.

I would now suggest that if you are going to spend the time to vote, do familiarize yourselves with each of these amendments. They all speak very clearly to common sense. We must protest the wetlands and open space; we need to curtail the “rubber stamping” of everything that comes down the pike and take back our town. For too long now, we have been letting outsiders dictate (several towns around Hooksett already have growth ordinances); and we must zone for highest and best use where it is obviously right.

Please, if you vote, know what you're voting for – the planning board isn't necessarily the group of experts it may think it is. A number of year ago, these guys endorsed a hazardous waste plant for Hooksett which was going to be the cure-all for us. Remember, also, these are the same people who have made Route 3 a thing of beauty. Who are these guys? I wonder when they attended "town planning" college and if they ever graduated! It just looks like the same old M'm. trying to take control.

Please, vote smart for your own good and ask yourself what more could this town possibly need: homes, restaurants, gas stations, shopping centers, pizza joints, retail shops. Apparently, it didn't need all these shops that left Shaw's mall with a 50 percent vacancy! It's your town and you should decide how you want to live in it.

Floors exceed safe margin of weight-bearing capacity. Key records are stored off site because of lack of room at the town offices. In addition to work life challenges for employees, we do not present a professional and welcoming atmosphere to citizens, developers and others who visit the town offices. There is a lack of good parking and access for handicapped citizens. Citizens conduct business in crowded locations elbow-to-elbow with others.

I joined a group of citizens five years ago to explore the need for a new Kiwanis Club in Hooksett. We found that the most pressing needs were afterschool and summer activities for young people. This is one of the most important reasons that we need a community center in Hooksett. A number of organizations have already expressed a strong interest to occupy the proposed community center and offer a wide variety of programs. These could include a Boys and Girls Club, computer education lab, Head Start preschool, senior center/services/ activities, Fun in the Sun, Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, a community theater, as well as space for community meetings and functions.

How does the need for new town offices relate to the need for a community center? The needs come together at the former Hooksett Village School and with passage of Warrant Article 4. This article provides for renovation of the Village School. Passage will provide funding to remove hazardous materials, make HVAC improvements, and ensure ADA compliance for the entire building, and to complete renovations to accommodate town offices. It does not, however, provide funding for the community center portion of the building. A private capital fundraising campaign will be undertaken by the Community Economic Development Corporation of Hooksett (CEDCOH) to raise about $500,000 to create and operate the community center. Hooksett Kiwanis, along with others, stand ready to support the community center with significant contributions.

Without passage of Article 4, there will not be a community center at the Village School site. Please support Article 4 at the polls on May 10.

The reason I am writing this editorial is to let everyone know that a lot of hard work and dedication by many people went into this project. From the 18 months of fundraising, to the planning of the actual design/theme of the playground and finally to the weeklong construction, there were many, many dedicated volunteers.

This project began in 1991 when fundraising efforts began. Many volunteers trekked around Hooksett and neighboring towns to solicit funds to begin this project. Everyone (young and old) pitched in and helped!

Several fundraisers took place over 18 months. Many local businesses made sizeable donations and many Hooksett residents brought their pennies to Underhill School for our “Pennies for the Playground,” which was one of our very successful fundraisers! To this day, the Hooksett-ites (the wonderful senior organization in Hooksett) have continued to collect pennies at their weekly meetings and send a check to the Kids Kaboose maintenance fund! (The Hooksett-ites are a very special group and once again, thank you!)

The Kids Kaboose playground was built in June 1993 after raising $50,000. Under the spearheading efforts of two “chairwomen,” fundraising committees, planning/design committees, materials/tools committee, building committees, food committees, public relations committees and the blood, sweat and tears of more than 180 volunteers at construction time, this state-of-the-art playground became famous in Hooksett at Donati Park.

Many long hours were spent working on this wonderful project but most of all, many special friendships were formed and the community was brought together in one of its biggest undertakings in recent history. (This is something I know I will never forget.)

It is very sad to see Kids Kaboose right now for those of us who were heavily involved. Unfortunately, due to recent happenings at the playground, and the fact that it has weathered in the last 12 years, changes have to be made. Many of the structures are not up to code right now, even though they were when it was built in 1993.

Under the supervision of Dale Hemeon (thank you Dale for all your hard work with Kids Kaboose!), some of the structures are being removed.

The playground is closed now, but will re-open soon. Some of the areas will just be open spaces where the ship, castle, trak ride, dragon, or climbing wall once was. The theme of Kids Kaboose, “A Journey Through Time” is now a memory, a very special memory to many of us, but hopefully if donations are made, we will make every effort to replace the wooden structures with pre-fab structures for the children of Hooksett to continue to enjoy.

About 150 area children attended this event. Winners of the golden eggs received large gift baskets donated by Sandy McKenney with the help of Jackie Lee, Debbie Thomas and Claudette Verville.

The winners were Julian Rosario (age 3 and 4), David Gardner (age 5 to 8), and Brad Schaefer (age 9 to 12). Sixteen additional prizes were also awarded.

This event would not have been possible without the support of friends and businesses. Thanks to everyone who made this event successful: Allenstown Police Department, Newvie Goodwin, Karen Lascelle, Robin McAfee, Claudette Verville, Sandy McKenney, Laurie McGrail, Jim Rodgers, Carol Fornier, Justin Fornier, Armand Verville, Michele Gilligan, Henriette Girard, Dan Howe, Mike McKenney, David Evans, Manager of Bear Brook State Park and a special thank you to the Easter Bunny.