Nashua faces drastic cuts after tough budget meeting

The city is now seeing the effects of the state’s decision to raise payments to fund the New Hampshire Retirement System from 60 percent to 100 percent and to lower the expected rate of return from 7.75 percent to 7.25 percent.

On Thursday, Mayor Jim Donchess outlined sweeping cuts faced by the city in order to stay within its spending cap.

Donchess made some drastic proposals: cutting five police positions and reducing overtime; eliminating four fire positions and other spending cuts to that department – possibly even closing a fire station – and laying off dozens of teachers and perhaps closing an elementary school, as well.

This is no time to be cutting police positions, considering the current crisis that has seen 14 opioid-related fatalities in the last two months alone.

How would you like to be among the many people living near a fire station that has to be shut down, knowing that if tragedy occurs, it would be much longer before help arrives – minutes that can spell the difference between saving a home or losing it, saving a life or losing it.

And how would it be for you to be the parent of a child whose education suffers by being stuffed into an overcrowded classroom?

Nashua taxpayers are facing many difficult decisions in the weeks and months ahead.

New Hampshire allows for a smooth transition of power

The days following the controversial 2016 presidential election were calm in Nashua.

Despite the city, state and overall popular vote going in support of Democrat Hillary Clinton, the region did not experience the same anti-Donald Trump protests witnessed elsewhere in the country.

"I thought Hillary was going to win. The Republican Party won the election fair and square," said Harold Jenkins, a Vietnam veteran having breakfast the morning after Election Day. "We’ve got to all get behind him and see where we go from here."

Nashua’s own Kelly Ayotte also displayed the ultimate grace in conceding a razor-thin election without calling for a recount. In doing so, she respected the wishes of the majority, be it a slim majority, and allowed for U.S. Sen.-elect Maggie Hassan to ease into the office.

It is a testament to New Hampshire’s commitment to democracy there was no chaos here during the transition of power.

Getting donations to where they are needed the most

The United Way of Greater Nashua recently completed its community assessment, a three-year process to distribute an estimated $375,000 to 30 specific programs.

According to the United Way, a variety of projects were singled out, including a mobile health clinic through St. Joseph Hospital, enrichment programs at the Clearway High School through the Adult Learning Center, substance misuse prevention work at the Greater Nashua Boys & Girls Club and safety/engagement lessons at Nashua PAL (Police Athletic League).

The overall goal to provide financial stability to some of the city’s essential social services. By measuring the impact and outcomes of such programs, it ensures the necessary funds are funneled to where they are most needed in the community.