Thursday, March 8, 2012

As Town Elections Approach , Let's Set The Record Straight


There has been misleading information to the residents of Winchester about Rick Horton and Elisha Jackson, School Board Candidates.  I am compelled to respond in a compassionate and thoughtful manner to show politics can be positive.

I live here, VOLUNTEER here, and managed the bank in town for over nine years. I thought that I had a great presence in our community and my credentials spoke for themselves, until I read Mr. Bigelow’s March 7th letter.  I thank Mr. Bigelow for bringing to my attention that people might not know who Elisha Jackson is. I hold a Bachelor degree in Accounting, have 19 years finance, banking, and community development experience, elected Budget Committee Member, current Treasurer of the Cheshire Fair Association and Treasurer of the NH State 4H Association, previous Treasurer of the ELMMCC and WGYB just to name a few. I have handled individuals’ and business’ finances responsibly for the people in our town. I’ve also seen the hardships our community faced when the School increased its budget last year from $10.5 Million to $11.1 Million raising taxes to $30.03 per thousand. People in our community lost their homes, others couldn’t refinance to lower rates because property values declined. My reason for running for School Board is more than just budget related. I have a son that is in our school system and have been actively involved in our school for over nine years. I care about our community and most importantly, our children. 

“Just because they said it doesn’t make it so” is the exact reason I dedicated over 100 volunteered hours researching and verifying school budget information provided by the School Administration. Rick Horton and I uncovered over budgeted line items including tuition enrollments to Keene, retirement benefits for SAU staff calculated at 11.36% which is the teacher rate, and other items not disclosed by School Administration. I believe in researching information for myself and encourage the voters to do the same. Check the Annual Report, opening day enrollments for Keene High have decreased in the past three years, don’t be fooled that people are moving in every week.

We need people who listen to the public, research information, and then make responsible decisions with the best interests of our children in mind.   Please vote “yes” on Article One and Horton and Jackson for School Board.


Elisha Jackson
227 Keene Rd.
Winchester, NH 03470
(603) 239-4999

18 comments:

Voting for Elisha said...

Thank you for setting the record straight Elisha! You have my support

I for one was not at all pleased with Harold's letter-to-the-editor. What he failed to recognize (or should I say Pam...since she is most likely the one who signed his name to her letter), is that your years of financial knowledge that you bring to the table is all volunteered time. Unlike her, you were not PAID to come up with this budget (which by the way, did not eliminate her job or have any teacher cuts). It was the Budget Committee’s proposal that had her job on the line (there are some that find the fact that she is paid more than the Principal hard to swallow).

Anonymous said...

Great job Elisha. I hope we can see some responsibility put back into our budgeting. Watching teachers and school board members spend money to persuade the voters as to what they interpret is the truth.

Before you throw away the mail sent to you by CARE.... read it to know what a reduced budget wont do... and then take a minute and smell the ink.... smells like School Ink to me!

Anonymous said...

Care is a group of individuals in town. It is not a school group. Do your research. Also, Mrs. Bigelow does not make more than the principal. Yet more misleading information. Right Elisha? Can you clarify that.?

concerned mom said...

Can you explain all of the lies and misleading information in your mailer C.A.R.E. Seems promoting dishonesty and bullying has become the norm for the town and groups crowing how they are helping our kids. Some help, I'd rather you butt out and not influence them with your conniving and devious ways. I'd rather they learn to be respectful and truthful thank you very much.

and I too will be voting for Elisha Jackson and Rick Horton, I've personally had enough of Colleen Duquette and Kevan Whippie.

Anonymous said...

Who is in the CARE group anyway? Everyone assumes it is a school group but it is not made up any school employees.

Anonymous said...

Good Job Elisha, common sense, when common sense is not so common anymore.

Anonymous said...

The CARE group is made up of some school employees, school board members, and other Winchester residents. Non-resident school employees have sat in on meetings. They receive their information from the administration and SAU.

so disgusted with these people said...

The people who provide misinformation, fudge the facts and use bullying tactics to get their points across, need we say more. That flyer they sent out is so full of lies and misinformation it was disgusting. Winchester is in real trouble if people believe one word of all that nonsense.

Rick Horton said...

A week ago Jeremy Miller called me asking about some back ground information for a Bio to be put into the CARE flyer. I asked him who was on the committee. He told me concerned citizens.

Just and FYI Jeremy Miller is the Director of the before and after school program Access. This program is invaluable to our community and is 100% grant funded. The School District is the Fiscal Agent for WGYB.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what to believe but I know Elisha sounds a lot more like someone whom I will always support in candidacy and that's Ron Paul. I am a former teacher and I always cared about the kids first and foremost but some teachers do care about their pockets more unfortunately. And there are ways to save money without cutting positions and or programs. Let's exercise common sense and live within our means until we get where we want to be both financially and educationally!

Congratulations Chesterfield said...

Its amazing how budgets that have been cut to the bone can afford to send out mailers to inform the stupid people of our town on how we should vote. According to the Brattleboro Reformer this morning Chesterfield has had enough and did something about it.

Anonymous said...

Monadnock School District cuts the current years budget by $1.3 million.

Why cant people see the writing on the wall. On Tuesday a $10.8 million budget will be put in front of the voters of Winchester NH. IT WILL PASS....

Now the only question is who will be responsible for the cuts...

Horton and Jackson got up in front of 200 voters and outlined some of the proposed cuts. The only School Board member who believes it can be done is Trevor Crouteau a former budget committee Chair.

Lets give him some support! Its time for a change. We need 2 new members in on the School Board! Talk to your neighbors and get lets fill the voting booths!

Vote Vote Vote!!!

Anonymous said...

DUMP DUQUETTE!

Anonymous said...

Anybody know any results??

the Winchester Informer said...

Results of the School ballot have been posted.

Anonymous said...

None of you care for children, the proposed cuts are going to be terminally detrimental to the Winchester Schools, especially those children needing Special Ed, the first staff to get cut is always the Paraprofessionals, and they're the ones on the front line working with those with special needs day in and day out. I can't wait to see the town get sued by parents with sped children for not providing what is mandated to them because you cheap sleaze balls were to stingy to educate the children. Remember, the kids in school now are the ones who are going to be taking care of you when you're old and retired. I personally would like them to be competent and well educated.

Anonymous said...

Get a grip! By voting for a lower budget it forces the SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION to MAKE THE CHOICES where THEY MAKE CUTS .. The voters did not vote to cut anyone's positions. If the over paid administrators and school board cut teachers and aid, blame them not voters. We aren't the ones voting ourselves raises at the expense of educating our children. maybe you should go back to school and learn what you are talking about before posting nonsense crap.

Anonymous said...

Get a grip people. Our student teacher ratio is 10 to 1. Our teachers can handle 20 students in a classroom. We also have twice as many paras as we need. SPED be damned the other students need to be educated, also. We can have a system that is lean and mean and does a fantastic job or educating our children. We do not need teachers in our system that tell our students that the smart boards will be used for coat racks and all the aides will be fired. Those teachers need to be terminated.