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The Manchester (Weekly) Express, Page 19, bottom section, December 8 - 14, 2008, EXPRESS Opinions, LETTERS
"Guinta has failed to provide leadership"
To the Editor,
My thoughts on Manchester Politics focus on a municipal government poorly led by a deficient sitting Mayor that does NOT meet the needs of the people. The biggest example of the city's misguided public record of substandard outcomes is Mayor Frank Guinta and the Board of Aldermen & Alder-woman's nearly 5% local tax increase in this year's city budget. Moreover, the city has a nominal current fiscal year budget deficit of over $1.7 million, while the city also has previously withdrew many millions of local taxpayer dollars from emergency and one-time accounts, plus raised a myriad of fees and implemented complex new parking regulations, most notably Saturday Parking. With all of this taxpayer dollars growing only our city government, the people are NOT receiving better or at least level city services.
Furthermore, it is point blank and crystal clear that Mayor Frank Guinta has FAILED in his campaign promises to improve public education. A little over 3 years ago, candidate Frank Guinta used the following numerical combination -- as well as a record amount of special interest campaign dollars -- to oust then-Mayor Bob Baines: "55-30-3". Last to first, the "3" stood for the number of public schools "in need of improvement". Now under Mayor Frank Guinta, all 22 public schools are labelled "in need of improvement". Moreover, there is a strong probability that state and federal bureaucrats are going to take away some or all of our local control of public education.
Secondly, the "30" in Frank Guinta's combination stood for Bob Baine's 6-years of tax hikes. Well, every year of the 3-years that Frank Guinta has been Mayor, taxes have also dramatically increased, while Guinta, unlike Baines, has raided the city's emergency and one-time accounts.
The "55" number stands for the amount crime increased in Manchester in Mayor Baines' 6-year tenure. Mayor Guinta's leadership on fighting crime was offset by his tax or spending cap proposal, which if passed into law would have easily and drastically gutted the city's police department budget.
Mayor Frank Guinta does disservice after disservice to the people of Manchester with gimmick policy proposals that have included cutting the public education budget by $4 million or 5% from last fiscal year, which would have eliminated the arts, music, sports, and many other important educational programs. His tax or spending cap proposal was totally flawed, as the city is mandated to spend a majority of its municipal budget on its school district and the county government's jail, nursing home, and other governmental units. Moreover, Guinta's tax or spending cap included the city's over 300 outstanding bonds, and did nothing to address the upcoming revaluation of city property values.
The reason for Mayor Frank Guinta's policy decisions is because he is the WORST kind of "leader", meaning one who puts himself before others, as he has stated on many occassions that he is looking to be a career politician who will run for high elected offices in the years to come. A true leader will lead from the front-line. In war, the military leader will take the hill first and his troops will follow. Maybe that is what is wrong not only with our city, but also, our country.
America used to elect leaders like George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, JFK, and George H.W. Bush. Now, we look to guys like Frank Guinta, who will cut budgets the hurt families, women and school children to falsely make himself look like a tax reformer, although he is nothing of the sort. My hope for the people of Manchester is to become the collective leader your Mayor has FAILED to be, vote him out of office next year, and support a man or woman with the integrity to lead this great city forward.
Jonathan A. Melle
Manchester, New Hampshire
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