Over 50 voters have petitioned to have the option of moving the school budget and annual school meeting over to the SB2 procedure. It will be on the ballot for the school election held on Tuesday, March 8.
SB2 allows all Bow voters to vote on the school warrant articles with convenient 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. voting hours or by absentee ballot. Why wouldn’t we want to upgrade from a system that excludes our family, friends and neighbors from voting just because they cannot make the night meeting?
Why SB2?
Bow town election and town/school meeting week are absolutely overwhelming. Very few Bow voters make it all the way through all three of these events in what is called “hell week” SB2 allows you to participate in two of these events at the same time. When was the last time you were able to completely represent yourself?
- SB2 simplifies the voting process. Just pick up a ballot and vote for or against an article in the privacy of a voting booth or by absentee ballot. Bow school meeting rules are complicated and confusing and are designed to favor warrant articles because there is no equal time for opposing views during the many presentations.
- SB2 insures that the wishes of Bow voters are heard and implemented. If Bow implements SB2 we will no longer have to be subjected to exhausting re-votes forced upon us by those who do not respect the will of the voters by moving reconsideration and having a second meeting on school bond issues.
- SB2 voters have more time to be informed from sources that they trust. The SB2 voter has time to distinguish misleading and inaccurate information from accurate information given at the meetings. Unfortunately, some Bow residents claim they have historically been subjected to misleading or inaccurate information.
- SB2 voters enjoy the secret ballot. Your vote is your business. No longer will you have to lose a friend or upset a loved one just because they did not like the way you voted or spoke at a meeting. SB2 votes are more representative of the people because more people vote than usually show up at a school annual meeting might.
- SB2 was designed to fight against special interests forcing their will on the taxpayers of Bow. Last year a hundred plus voters forced higher school taxes on all Bow taxpayers because they wanted the convenience of all-day kindergarten. They forced it through and then most left the meeting after overturning the School Board and the Budget Committee to the tune of $358,000 in increased spending.
Area school districts that have adopted SB2 are Epsom, Goffstown, Hooksett and Weare.
So How Does SB2 Work?
Q. How many school meetings will we have?
Legally there is still one school meeting, but instead of one session at night where debate and final voting on warrant articles takes place, there will be two separate town sessions, a deliberative one and a voting one. The deliberative session is held to discuss, debate and possibly amend warrant articles. The second meeting session, the voting session, takes place in the voting booth where citizens vote on all warrant articles on the March election day.
Q. What happens if the operating budget is not approved?
If the operating budget warrant article is not approved at the voting session, then the default budget is deemed to be approved for the next fiscal year.
The “default budget” equals the amount of the same appropriations as contained in the operating budget from the previous year, reduced or increased as the case may be by debt service, contracts and other obligations previously incurred or mandated by law. The default budget also excludes one-time expenditures contained in the previous year’s operating budget which are defined as expenditures not likely to recur as determined by the school board.
Q. How does the default budget work?
The default budget freezes the budget at the previous year’s level except for amounts which are obligated to be paid or were one-time expenses. Employee raises will not be included unless they are required by a legally binding and previously ratified contract obligating the school district to fill particular positions or employ particular people at certain wages.
Q. How is the public made aware of the default budget?
The school board must post certified copies of the default budget form along with the proposed operating budget and the warrant. RSA 35:5 (VII)(b).
Q. When is the voting session held?
The voting session is held on the second Tuesday in March, April or May as decided by the voters. The voting session is deemed to be the annual election date.
Q. What election and voting procedures apply at the voting session?
Voting at the second session must conform to the procedures for the nonpartisan ballot system including absentee voting.
Votes taken at the second session may not be reconsidered.