To the Editor:

I wanted to thank the many residents of Weare and Goffstown who helped me gather nomination papers to run as a Libertarian in the upcoming elections in November.

I needed to gather 150 certified nomination papers to appear on the ballot and I was able to gather over 270, so you can expect to see my name on the ballot!

Many of you told me that you agreed that this process was unfair to third-party candidates and that you wanted more choices. It is my hope that you will also tell your current elected officials how you feel so changes can be made. If I am fortunate enough to get elected in November, I will definitely be showing the other state representatives how unfair this practice is and that many of you agree it is unfair.

You deserve more choices and you deserve to be heard. Thank you for all your well wishes and your support.

Lisa Wilber
Weare

To the Editor:

I don’t have “mixed emotions” over the Aug. 10 Goffstown News editorial titled “Relief and anger over Laura Mackenzie.” My opinion is that the writer is ignorant, rude and needs to take a course in understanding and wisdom.

Thought you, no doubt, are older than Laura, you lack the rational faculties, the intelligence, that a person in your position should have.

In a world where so many grownups lack prudent judgment, how dare you criticize Laura for leaving home?

There are many 18-year-olds in 2006 who are frustrated because of our chaotic world. Tell me that you made no mistakes when you were 18 and I won’t believe you.

Laura’s past shows her intelligence, and with time she will show wisdom, for she has understanding and loving parents who welcomed her home without a word of arrogance as you wrote.

Welcome home, Laura. This experience will make you wise and understanding when you have children of your own.

Remember one thing: Everyone you know and those you don’t know have made mistakes. Stand tall, you’ll have a great life.

God bless you and your family.

Lucille Lagasse
Goffstown

To the Editor:

On Friday, Aug. 4, the Weare Lions Club hosted a “Popcorn and Movie” party at TRG Learning Center in New Boston.

The event was held to reward the children that attend the center for participating in a very successful food drive held at TRG at Easter time.

Lions Tom and Kim Reynolds helped out and stayed to enjoy the movie “Shaggy Dog” with the kids.

The movie was donated by the Weare Lions to TRG at the end of the party.

Weare Lions would like to thank all the children, parents and teachers of TRG Learning Center for their generosity and goodwill.

Weare Lions Club

To the Editor:

It’s been three and a half years since Hillsborough County Nursing Home employees with AFCME Local 2715 have had a contract.

In that time, employees haven’t had a raise. Gas prices have skyrocketed, food prices have soared and in general the cost of living has continued to increase.

The Hillsborough County Nursing Home administrator has continued to get raises; his pay is up to $92,000. Union members start at $8.84 an hour.

Some new hires are even receiving starting salaries that are higher than what 10-year employees earn. Why? Because the cost of living today means that no one is willing to come to work for a salary that won’t pay the bills. So why are the union employees being held to subpar wages?

One employee at the nursing home must ride her bike to work daily, a trip of more than 10 miles each way, because she can’t afford to fill her gas tank. She’s been with the nursing home for years.

During negotiations over the past few years, county commissioners Rhona Charbonneau and Carol Holden have walked out twice. Commissioner Toni Pappas hasn’t even bothered to show up.

It’s time the county stepped up to the plate for their dedicated employees and settled this contract. It’s the right thing to do.

Florence Walton
Goffstown

To the Editor:

Why did we pay Avitar Co. for a useless booklet and limited time access to their database? The booklet, published and distributed at great cost to the taxpayers, is almost useless. Ink on paper; with no value for its intended purpose.

I don’t need names; I need location, location, location. This booklet only serves to mislead the residents into thinking they have been provided the necessary information to make an informed decision.

The booklet, mailed with the Notice of Preliminary Assessment Values, is supposed to transmit some useful information for property value comparisons. We should be able to compare our assessment to other similar properties of equal value. However, the booklet is only a list of names with acres, land and total value.

You can see the value of your property and that of anyone else whose name you recognize. But that’s not a comparison of value. That’s not what the booklet is supposed to be for. The notice mailed with the booklet tells you your assessed value. Now you need to compare yours to other similar properties of equal value. Who cares what the owner’s name is?

We need location, location, location. The name of property owners is of no importance. Their name is good for idle curiosity or plain old nosiness. But in order to make an informed decision on property value we need style, size, square footage, garage, attachments, quantity of bedrooms and bathrooms and other amenities.

You can get the needed information at the town hall or online, for a limited time, from the Avitar Co., but that takes hours of research and computer skill.

What criteria did the assessors use to estimate my property valuation? Did they use the owners’ names? Who did they compare me to, John Q. Public or Joe Blow? How can we come to an informed decision to make an appointment to review our assessment? We need the assessor’s criteria and location, location, location for comparison.

Without the required criteria and location information we cannot reasonably meet the March 1, 2007 deadline for review selectmen state in this booklet that this booklet is intended to allow you to compare your assessment to other properties you deem similar.

They further state in this booklet “please review this booklet to compare your assessment to other properties you deem similar, to help you determine if your assessment is fair and equitable.” Then why haven’t they given us the tools to make an informed decision?

If selectmen, as they state, are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that all property owners feel they have been treated fairly and equitably through this process, then provide us with useful information and tools to come to an informed decision.

Elwood Stagakis
Weare

To the Editor:

I am Russell “Russ” Day and I am a candidate for state representative from Goffstown and Weare. I believe that I have the time and ability to well represent the citizens of those towns.

I am new to the political scene and do not have all of the answers, but I am willing and very eager to listen to the citizens of these towns about issues concerning them. I pledge to you that I welcome your input and will reply to your questions. I may not know all of the answers, but I will find out them for you and give you an honest answer.

I have recently retired after 40 years of service to the state of New Hampshire and the citizens from throughout the state. I was administrator of the Social Security Disability Determination Service, a federally funded state agency making decisions of eligibility for disability applicants.

I have developed state and federal budgets for nearly 30 years and believe that I am very familiar with state government.

I have lived in Goffstown since 1968 and my two children both attended schools in this town. My wife, Carol, works in the special needs department of Goffstown High School.

I am opposed to any new taxes and want to control state spending. I know, from experience, that costs can be controlled.

I love this environment of our state and want to preserve the nature of the state for our hunters, fishermen (and women), hikers, boaters and those who just wish to enjoy the natural beauty of our state.

I strongly support small business in our state as that is one part of what makes New Hampshire a great place to live.

I also want to tell you all that I value honesty and integrity very highly.

I invite people to visit my Web site, www.RussellDay.com, and to send me any comments or thoughts about issues they wish addressed in the Legislature.

Thank you for your support.

Russell Day
Goffstown

To the Editor:

I would like to interrupt my series of letters to The Goffstown News concerning people “doing it right” with respect to recycling to endorse the candidacy for representative to the general court of my neighbor and friend, Russ Day. I mentioned that he is my neighbor ­ that is a deliberate choice by the both of us. We decided to build right next to each other.

Russ is new to running for office, but he certainly knows the political landscape at a state and national level. Russ was the director of disability determination for the state of New Hampshire, an office run by the state but part of the Social Security Administration.

As such, Russ dealt with members of the New Hampshire House and Senate constantly, and also the New Hampshire Congressional delegation in Washington. In that capacity, Russ won national awards for excellence and efficiency, and his office was a model to the rest of the country.

I have known Russ for 36 years now. He is a level-headed guy with a sense of humor. He listens to people and has a very practical way about him. He likes to come up with solutions that work and that will have a broad consensus of support.

Now that he is retired, he can devote his energies in a civic fashion representing us in Concord. He will bring a lot to the table, on health care issues where he is expert and on all other issues where he is well grounded in practicum, and where he needs to learn, he will ­ he will listen to experts and to us, his constituents.

I highly endorse Russ’s candidacy and I urge support for him in the Republican primary and in the general election. Russ is a man of integrity and honesty. He will represent us well.

Fred Plett
Goffstown

To the Editor:

Gary S. Hopper and Lisa M. Wilber are our best choices for the Statehouse.

Although Gary and Lisa are members of different political parties, I will be supporting and voting for both of them to represent us in Concord.

There are many issues that I agree with them on, and there are some that I disagree with, but there is one that overrides the rest.

They both stand for our individual rights and freedoms. They understand that we as Americans are responsible enough to take care of ourselves and our families.

They understand that we as Americans are good enough not to need a bunch of people in Concord telling us how to live our lives every minute.

They both have read the New Hampshire Constitution and understand its original intent. (Ask any of the other candidates if they have read the New Hampshire Constitution.) That should be a minimum prerequisite for serving in Concord. How can someone swear to uphold something that they have not even read?

Gary Hopper and Lisa Wilber are regular people just like the rest of us who work hard, take care of their families and believe in us to the point where they trust our good judgment.

If you want a bunch of frivolous, meaningless, feel-good laws that do nothing except remove our freedoms incrementally so we don’t notice, vote for someone else, but if you want true representation from people who are not concerned with political consequences, but maintain a laser focus on protecting our rights, join me in voting for Gary Hopper and Lisa Wilber.

Keith R. Lacasse
Weare