by Ed Naile, Chair
What is old is new again – in Goffstown.
Years ago, CNHT helped a group in Goffstown stop the School Board from sending out any more illegal campaign fliers, at school expense, for a new school, well, at least some members.
The Board had voted to NOT send “informational fliers” to the public but three of the members did anyway at a cost of about $1,500.00 to taxpayers, taxpayers who may not want to pay for another’s political position. (Hmmm, like being in a union.)
CNHT helped the citizen group with a Superior Court filing and presented it to the Board. And we gave them 30 days to respond or we would file it.
Of course they didn’t comply and off we went 31 days later with almost the entire Budget Committee in tow, bless them.
Judge Sullivan chose not to hear the case but gave the School Board 20 minutes to come to a compromise with our side. They stalled and Judge Sullivan reappeared in the courtroom, opened the door to their conference room and put his hand out. They caved.
That is called a win for taxpayers.
But as always, there is a group of tax and spend liberals in Goffstown who’s religion is – “More, More, More, For the School.” They ignore deed restrictions, election law, and any other object in their path because it is for the children – they use for political advantage.
Enter Harvey Construction and their new 2013, unsigned campaign material promoting a construction job at the school – they are bidding on.
That is a violation of RSA 664:14.
664:14 Signature, Identification, and Lack of Authorization. –
I. All political advertising shall be signed at the beginning or the end with the names and addresses of the candidate, his fiscal agent, or the name and address of the chairman or the treasurer of a political committee, or the name and address of a natural person, according to whether a candidate, political committee, or natural person is responsible for it. Said signature shall clearly designate the name of the candidate, party or political committee by or on whose behalf the same is published or broadcast.
II. Political advertising to promote the success or defeat of a measure by a business organization, labor union, or other enterprise or organization shall be signed. The name of the enterprise or organization shall be indicated and the chairman or treasurer of the enterprise or organization shall sign his name and address. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit contributions which are prohibited under RSA 664:4.
Nice way around the statute denying school board members a way of campaigning with school funds!
In case you saw a story about all this in the Manchester Paper quoting Anne Edwards, of the notorious NH AG’s Office – they referenced the wrong statute.
Edwards said they would take action if anyone filed a complaint – but they always say that.
In any case, we still have in NH something called “street justice.”
Should Harvey Construction come a knocking at your town’s door for work in the future, just say NO!
Maybe everyone will learn a lesson.
Here are some:
1. Maybe every bidder should send “informational fliers” to the voters. (Oh, but that would make bid rigging real tricky.)
2. Harvey Construction might lose some jobs in other municipalities for skirting NH Election Law.
3. If no one complains, the NH AG’s Office can’t declare this violation is now “legal” like they did with the “Lump at the Dump” in Bedford where they had a polling station at the dump handing out absentee ballots.
4. Maybe voters in Goffstown will just vote everything down until the libs follow the law and stop abusing their positions on the school board. (Nah, that can’t happen.)