Some Manchester Aldermen Have a History of Voting to Ignore the City’s Tax Cap
On November 8, 2011 Manchester voters approved changes to the City Charter to include a Spending Cap to limit budget and spending increases to the rate of inflation, and check the growth of spending.
Certain Manchester Aldermen (in italics below; click on titles to link to original sources) have a history of voting to override the cap, or voting for contracts that exceed the cap, or overriding Mayoral vetoes of contracts or budgets that would exceed the cap.
Union Leader May 19. 2012
6 aldermen were willing to override tax cap
The outcome of contract talks with the teachers union was still unknown, but six aldermen indicated they would be willing to override the city’s tax cap in order to reach an agreement.
Aldermen Ludwig, O’Neil, Corriveau, Craig, Arnold and Shaw voted in favor of a possible tax cap override.
Special Meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen June 10, 2014 (Minutes pages 30 and 31)
Alderman Craig moved to override the tax cap in its entirety. Alderman Long seconded the motion.
Aldermen Osborne, Corriveau, O’Neil, Shea, Katsiantonis, Shaw, Barry, Gamache, Craig, Ludwig, Long, and Roy voted yea to override the tax cap in its entirety.
Aldermen Levassseur and Hirschmann voted nay. The motion carried.
Union Leader June 14. 2014
Discussion of tax cap override laced with drama
“For the first time since the voter-approved tax cap went into effect three years ago, the aldermen on Tuesday voted to override it, citing the need to deal with rising crime, abysmal roads and other lagging city services. The approved budget is 3.99 percent larger than last year’s, exceeding the tax cap by 1.86 percent. With a new combined tax rate of $23.58, taxes on a $200,000 house would go up by close to $200, to $4,716.”
Union Leader 8/4/15
Manchester mayor vetoes teacher contract
Voting for the contract were O’Neil, Barry,Katsiantonis, Corriveau, Craig, Long, Sapienza.
Opposed were Roy, Hirschmann, Levasseur.
Mayor Ted Gatsas vetoed the ratification of the three-year contract with Manchester teachers.
Motion for an override failed to garner enough votes.
Voting to override the veto were O’Neil, Barry,Katsiantonis, Corriveau, Craig, Long, Sapienza.
Opposed were Roy, Hirschmann, Levasseur.
Union Leader September 01, 2015
Manchester teachers’ contract OK’d by aldermen, overriding mayor’s veto
The board approved the three-year contract in August, but it was vetoed by Gatsas.
The vote, not on the scheduled meeting agenda, came after Alderman Long called for reconsideration.
The vote was 10-3 to ratify the contract.
Voting for the contract were O’Neil, Corriveau, Sapienza, Long, Ludwig, Craig, Gamache, Barry, Shaw, Katsiantonis.
Opposed were Shea, Roy and Levasseur. Hirschmann abstained.
Gatsas vetoed the contract and O’Neil moved to override Gatsas’ veto, with Craig seconding the motion.
The override was successful on an 11-2 vote.
Voting to override the veto were O’Neil, Corriveau, Sapienza, Long, Ludwig, Craig, Gamache, Barry, Shaw, Katsiantonis and Levasseur.
Opposed were Shea and Roy. Hirschmann abstained.
Taxpayers of Manchester need a Mayor, Aldermen, and a School Board willing to prepare budgets and live within those budgets as directed by the voters through the spending cap.