City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Legislative Sub Committee, 8 Mar 2022

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From YouTube: 12.22.2022 Legislative Subcommittee

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12.22.2022 Legislative Subcommittee

A

There we go all right good morning, everybody I'd like to welcome everybody.

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To the city council legislative committee, the last of the year.

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Is wednesday december 22nd, it is approximately it's closer than I want so.

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We'll do roll call first, and uh it will be uh counselor here also trace here. Also kennedy.

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Just want to go through one formality: we've got a pool.

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Of the minutes from the october 8th 2021 minutes we're looking for a motion.

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All right uh moving along to item three discussion um so uh newly.

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Sorry uh elect uh mayor um attended a meeting with me on zoom, which I'm hoping he will uh continue.

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uh Going to it's uh something that I kind of, I guess the cities of new hampshire pride themselves.

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On that, we've been able to get a lot done together, rather than trying to go and do things.

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um Jane farini has said a few times to me that it makes her job a little bit easier.

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To be able to know what other communities are thinking, what we're allocating for so.

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First thing on here were several uh things as far as the discussion um taking up the discussion with.

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The mayors, the legislation discussed uh at the round table uh decrease um of the rooms and meals.

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Tax there's a bill. That's out there that would, it would increase the percentage up to the 40.

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But if there's a backlash on it, where it actually, the percentage of the uh tax would actually.

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Decrease over a period of time, it's not originally the intent of what it was. I mean everybody.

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I think now knows that they up and we've got 30 for the first time in over 10 years, since.

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That had been allocated and um we saw a half a million dollar increase. The thing that I was.

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Impressed with that being pretty copen, uh so it was a slow start for everybody um and.

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The governor had gone and decreased from nine percent to eight and a half percent, so.

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Decreasing we did pretty well a half, a million dollars came into our city, um others. You know the.

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Same type of thing, so it was good movement. Just don't know if the movement enacting this right.

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Now would be the best course of action. It would probably decrease at least that's the theory and.

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Again, it's only a theory they're making, because I don't think that they can actually have a.

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Real background um and statistics showing as far as what the losses would be uh the last time that.

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We had a normal uh year was 2019 that if you were going to do a study and be able to really.

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Show some statistics on that? um You would do it based on that in a period of flexibility.

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Which? Obviously, we're probably going to be going through into the winter uh and early spring months?.

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Hopefully, coming up sooner rather than later, so that was just one of the bills. Another one.

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uh Was the trucking tax reception regarding uh communication service leases? These are.

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A combination of ls lsrs, which is the senate bills and then the hp being the legislative bills.

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Requiring hand mark paper ballots was won and abolishing fluoride. I did my son went.

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To a phase where he did precious piece and it was probably later teens and early going in.

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Sometimes the only way that he got four right, not all communities do. Of course that is one of them.

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And I think the communities all together believe, at least in the city's belief that.

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We should continue as far as doing the flagship, so it'd be something we'd, be monitoring.

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uh Living the authority of city council and this comes down to mandates.

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Which we're getting into now and limiting health officers prohibiting.

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Recipients of the state and local grants uh appropriation from use, such as funds for lobbying.

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Trading saint jane.

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So if you get a particular grant money whatever that, whatever those sums are, you could not.

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Use that money for lobbying purposes- um and I think I have a draft of the bill.

D

Okay, so that's a good example. I just needed the example. So if you have the police department.

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And they get certain funds or whatever kind of guns that are intended to be used for one thing.

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And suddenly you find them using the funds to lobby for a new police station or something.

D

But I think even more than that lobbying is defined as speaking on behalf of the bills, correct.

E

You wouldn't be able, if you were receiving this, is not just municipalities.

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Many received money from uh federal funds or state funds that would be prohibited from speaking on.

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Behalf of them in front of uh in front of uh yeah, I think the other piece of interest if.

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I'm remembering correctly is it can't be like you know it has to be physically separated. I think it.

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Would create some accounting issues as well as far as um you know, earmarking those particular funds.

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I also wanted to uh just ask the mayor- and I because I think we have this conversation- that.

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The property tax exemption and the paper ballots and the fluoride. That's something that the major.

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Group is opposing correct, correct and that's what some of the stuff is. I didn't see the house, the.

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Housing bill ones that we thought there were again looking at it house bill, 10, 80, 68, 1087 and 10.98.

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Let's see them, no, what were they so those those three things that take one does with.

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That so these were housing concerns, uh one of them being uh imposing uh rights. We've heard tiny house.

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That any person around the state of new hampshire would have the right.

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To put one in, um we would have no real standing on that lot. Coverage was another one.

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That the state would go and dictate what a lot coverage meant. So we would choose our right as.

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Municipality to be able to go and dictate what we felt I mean, I don't think it's as.

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Big of a challenge here, it's important, but I know there's an agreement right.

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Like that, where towns have actually started to work backwards, greenland actually had a.

D

So definitely would be speaking against that. Then there was one.

D

1494, that was an exemption from being able to collect from utilities.

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In right of ways, so communications and stuff like that, will no longer be.

D

Tax taxes, what's the story with the um state appropriations to fund the water system and.

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Wastewater projects, and how does that relate to portsmouth, considering we just went through.

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A major wastewater treatment program now: what is the percentage that they want to approach.

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Increase the appropriation of funds um micro collections, this one is just.

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uh Bringing forward those already on the list is that your regulations, we have the ability.

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Because we're still upgrading ours, I mean it's an ongoing thing and it was funding that we.

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Want to make sure that we have sources yeah I mean: we've got 45 million for peas,.

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Allocated on that, cip and the question is well, my first question, which I don't have to worry about.

D

That one might have to is: where is lonzo normal, the largest expansion in the history and suddenly.

D

We're paying 45 million for an expansion of fees. I think that jane carter made them wrong, but.

B

That's a that's a placeholder. We feel more comfortable about that number than we did from.

B

The previous placeholder, but what remains to be worked out is the split between the city and monza.

B

Right now, I've heard 55 45 and I can't remember which fit which side had 55 versus 45, but that is.

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Something suzanne and terry are working out with mormons and the other question that I would have.

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And would be very vocal about as a resident is. How much does that? 45 million appropriations affect.

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The average taxpayer in portsmouth, with your sewer with your sewer rates, because that's where it'll.

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Show up, it won't show up in your taxes, but it will show up ratepayers and the rich parents.

D

And I don't think it's you know we had the chance to save lonza as as much as they may be a valuable.

D

Neighbor, we had a chance to say either now or you will be a contributing partner to this.

D

And there were crickets, I guess excuse me, my question would be. um I agree with everything.

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Counselor trey said um we uh know for a fact that no citizens, uh except for a little bit.

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Of greenland goes to that plant, so it's all commercial. So my question is in the bill from.

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The state this is a guest for jane. My question is: um can a commercial entity apply for the funding.

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We know the peas plant is all commercial, so can a commercial or is that built just for residentials.

F

When I looked at it, I thought it was just for residential, and I don't know if that could be.

F

Distinguished so maybe someone could answer that. Thank you. I cannot circle back on that question.

C

My I don't know specifically, but I I do recall that the list that's populated is is is set by.

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Municipalities getting on the getting on the list for these particular projects. I don't know if a.

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Commercial entity can do that and whether another bill would be required to allow that. But I can I.

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Can research that to get back on these two bills, though the hb 412 is appropriating um to the des.

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The sum of half a million dollars as a non-lapsing uh for purpose of funding public water systems so.

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That's public eligible for state and federal assistance so that one seems to be narrowly.

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Tailored to public water systems, so all of this is right and the other one. I I realize every happy.

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And then the next one house bill 398 that one has more it's similar language, but it's appropriating.

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uh Five million seven hundred thirty five thousand two hundred forty eight for the fiscal year.

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Ending june 2023 and six million nine hundred and nineteen, a hundred and fifteen for the fiscal year.

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Mean june 30 2024, which shall be non-lapsing for the first purpose of funding eligible.

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Wastewater products, so that one was um the first one was uh public water systems. The small amounts.

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And then the larger it's, the broader and my recollection could be wrong on this, and this is.

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Brian getz is the one that tracks all this stuff for the city is that these lists are populated.

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And then there's never money to fund them, so you kind of go down this rolling list on.

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Already submitted projects and that what these appropriations are attempting to do is to fund.

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Those lists, as best as I, where the backlog yeah as best as I can recall, but I'll certainly.

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Double check to see, if not these funds other other funds, whether whether or not a private.

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uh Entity can apply for these kinds of state funds. Well, two things that I would add. One is.

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If we're not on the list, I know what he's talking about the list, um then we should. I.

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Presume that we are um because I think we were on the list way back for the pure silent plant, which.

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We know is not totally completed, but also, if we're, if we can always do an attachment, have one of our.

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Reps do an attachment and add commercial entities to that bill because it hasn't gone through yet.

F

So in both of those actually there is a supposed to be.

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A session meeting uh january 5th or 6th there still hasn't.

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These are retained bills, so this bill was left over so they're obligated to.

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Vote on these, the first the first week of the session where they died.

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So this is a carryover okay and then just to kind of summarize. As far as some of the other things.

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uh Builds things that were concerned to the 13 mayors city of portugal, there was hb 1268.

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Was what they would have great concerns with limitation of health officers? 1272.

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So the detail on those of the authority of city councilors: we have in our ordinance of powers as.

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A municipality, the ability to enact ordinances if they're, not repugnant to the constitution, a.

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Lot of towns and cities use that provision and this pandemic to kind of deal with the.

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Mass issue, so my understanding of the lsrs or the bills, and that is that that would limit.

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The authority of a municipality to only enact those ordinance for clear and present dangers.

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And those ordinances would only be allowed to be in existence for 10 days.

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And there's similar language officer that it would that, whatever whatever their powers.

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um Would be narrowed uh to it to a 10-day duration, so that's probably why it's flagged.

C

Because it does limit municipal authority, as we saw last session, that was kind of a theme.

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To limit municipal authority, and that seems to be repeating itself the bills that we're seeing.

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One of the other watch builds on. You was lsr 2971, which was short-term rentals.

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Prohibiting municipalities from regulating them- and that was a really big concern, because.

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The theory is, is to go for the short-term rentals. It's going to play a habit on our housing stock.

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uh We wouldn't be having providing housing. That would be a permanent thing around it. So.

E

That's something that they shouldn't want to watch. Some of these things are really helpful.

E

That was an interesting conversation because we found out.

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Their ability that manchester was behind that um and it was- uh and you know trying to think of the.

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Reasons why you know they would uh be behind that and it's and it's possible. You know they want to.

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Get more tourism you manchester and creating you know, opportunities outside of hotels and.

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um Kind of revitalize it that way, it would have a completely opposite effect. Unfortunately, you.

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Know to take a it's kind of hard to look at a you know, a one-bedroom place and how much.

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Money, you could get versus how much in those same amount of weekends. So if there are going to be, I.

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Think there needs to be some regulations on that. There has to be kind of owner-occupied language.

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In there, so that people that do have the ability to want to be able to uh you know supplement their.

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Income um for their, you know their own house instead of having people come and invest in.

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Properties just to flip into european use. That's we allow it here important, that's what we have in.

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Our zones there are zones in the city that allow for an airbnb sure, yeah I mean I think we have to.

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We'll have some work to do on that, but I think you know we all agree in this room that the.

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State shouldn't be able to say you know nothing um on them. This is their first attempt. They haven't.

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Bothered with any of the short terms, but it is interesting, like you know, the like donna susie.

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You know are on that, it's very bipartisan and that's that's something that we'll have.

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To definitely watch on, and I think that you know that affordable housing signed on that.

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Is something that is a pretty strong argument that there should be some regulations on that.

C

City should be able to decide what's best for them. Absolutely if I could have another bill on this.

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Thing house bill: 1177, that's single families. uh A single family home by right could be four units.

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So it's uh I, I don't remember the specific details of that, but my understanding and this.

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Is a I think, another carryover and we'll talk about this very recent last time you can have.

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Two duplexes, you can have, you know a duplex, an apartment and an accessory dwelling, so it.

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It's a lounge by right, single-family residences, to to have four units. So that's in the same theme of.

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Statewide zoning changes and the rule of local authority. You know the intent like, like all of.

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Them, I think, is to try to create you, know, workforce housing or create the ability.

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To create more housing stuff, but the practical effect can sometimes be.

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Really challenging, in particular residential neighborhoods, if you were trying, you know to.

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Shoot more parking and all you know the impacts that that could have so just I would add that.

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To the mayor's group list, that would be another one and the cities as well watch that one.

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That sounds like.

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Each neighborhood has its own character.

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I mean look at the lovely rooms in ellen park.

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That many of them think of them as four units and then think about where people.

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Are going to park so suddenly you have four units, six cars and one small driveway.

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And there goes the lawn they're good to see it. It's like their dresser neighborhood.

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Right anybody else have any of those sections.

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Legislative issues of interest.

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Erection funding of barriers of sound barriers- that's not something.

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That have any of our delegates with peter peterson.

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So um I don't have the details right now.

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These lsi's continue to populate and when this was drafted it hadn't been populated yet, but it.

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Could be as we speak, so that's something that um I think he was acting asking for uh specific funding.

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From the state to erect the sound barriers, would that be still for the fact too? I don't.

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I don't know the detail, but I assumed I assumed that was the case and then the occupancy fee.

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A municipal fee, but whatever you call it, the fear is the same.

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To revisit that issue of whether or not you could put a fee for.

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They've actually got other people that are we've done enough.

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uh We came really close. They didn't do anything with it last year, so.

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We're in hopes uh be able to go and support it right. I think at this point I think any of the.

D

Municipalities are are for that you'll find that up with the mayor's going through that.

D

Revenue is a really good thing: um they basically very supportive uh uh yeah. Can we go back to the.

D

uh Representative, such as funding for sound barriers, my question is: if that's something.

D

That can still be added to. um We still have the issue of near franklin, school.

D

But we're in a tier one, not a tier two and four state has had a lot of that and.

D

That's kind of the that's kind of the funny thing: portsmouth was the first one to get an application.

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But they had no funding so when the state came in, they delegated everything from scherber from the.

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Bridge going all the way, the whole 95 corridor, and that is listed as a tier one. It takes us on.

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The two-tier category, and then they justify that within those means of tier one, their their data.

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Shows that it would need one, so it's another way of them getting out. So the funding thing.

D

Sitting there, when they came and spoke to us, they didn't say we didn't need it. They.

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Said it didn't, they couldn't justify it because of the expenses.

A

A

So this is governed by a policy that is, that is then approved by the federal highway policies.

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Thinkers, so if we come up with a policy, every state comes up with a policy on how do we keep.

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Stopping we then get that approved uh by the feds. I think we're in the middle of the road. Maybe you.

E

Know maybe we're the half that make the top half possible when it comes to how stringent we are on.

E

Sound barriers like you go to maryland, they have a. They have a different formulation that puts.

E

Sound barriers everywhere, um but we have our own calculation as part of that, I think what we need.

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To question the city is where how many? uh What does a school count for in terms of uh in terms.

E

Of sound receptors, and specifically because all of these calculations and policies are there to.

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Basically make sure they don't give out too much money. um How can we kind of shoot warren new.

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Franklin, which you know mary sears miranda's, been there since 1920. How can we make in franklin that.

E

Predates the highway you know classify in some way, because right now it's classified as the same.

E

Interestingly enough, uh in the same sort of uh areas like a a cemetery, I learned from.

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uh I learned from uh art or john at d.o.t and I think that's a you know it's a pretty interesting.

E

Distinction that a school in a cemetery all in the same categories, in terms of kind of sound.

E

uh You know receptors um 24 bases somebody lives period. It is justified by the time.

E

That's right, but there's still you know I think, just covered. You know you know as protected. You.

E

Know, kids being outside is a good thing. We should want them to be outside more for whole reasons.

E

That are not even copic, but you know moving classrooms outside. I think people realize oh.

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Yeah being outside it's good for kids, um so that's not really possible to franklin because of the.

E

uh Because of the noise there, but if we can focus in on the policy and the policy hasn't.

E

Been updated but if we could ask our you know our you know our delegation to focus.

E

Yeah, exactly, I think you know, there's there's a chance and and and hopefully narrowly enough.

E

For, like you know, a school that predates the you know, existence of a highway there's not going to.

E

Be a ton of those schools there, but that would be the you know. One way to try to get your prank.

F

I guess my question is, and I asked it at the last meeting I testified at since I testified.

F

At all of them was what's the formula: how do we get the formula when was the formula created.

F

It gave us the data points. What you just said day glen is what they told us about.

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Meaning but they gave us the data points, but no one has given us a formula and I've yet to receive.

F

It- and I forgot about that- I had asked that so I'm going to go after it. I guess my also question is.

F

And this is a question for karen um and testifying at all these meetings. No one from the city came.

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To testify it was, it was a count. Counselor, yes, we're, maybe a abstract from the city, but.

F

What are the city officials thinking? Do you guys want to get involved or what are you thinking.

B

Because we had planning.

B

No, I think those are the things right um counselor. I don't know um because I wasn't there, but.

B

uh Planning uh staffer stephanie casella did go to the hampton.

B

Hearing and we will certainly continue to have a presence. Well, that's monroe actually is a.

B

Representative from the planning that it is she, and that was at that one, I think she was at one.

D

Color, I don't think she had all of them, but she was playing a double role when she was there. So.

D

I think, with all due respect, what councilman kennedy is asking is.

D

There may have been representation there, but I think what she's asking is: is staff.

D

They're willing to take a more vocal.

D

Proactive kind of you know sitting in the audience, with janet stephens and the crew up front. Don't.

B

Have a clue number somebody is in the back. It's my understanding. Stephanie did speak and.

B

We are careful to tailor our comments to make sure they're consistent with the folks that are. I will continue.

A

That the money is approved from the infrastructure, it's there, they are shuttle ready. um They have.

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Plans nine locations along the 95 corridor d.o.t had got it recognized if the army can.

A

Be made and whether it can be pushed into a political event. There is re-election. That's.

A

Coming up next time around um at that school, if you make that number one school sure or something.

E

Have a great idea of having a big show up there. You know it's 300 million dollars. I found out.

E

You know sorry three million dollars to build that. So if the kids can go out there and try to.

A

You know raise money for a big showing of them. You are down there. I think that's a good idea.

A

With any of that I mean- and you make the arguments because one of the things that we noticed that.

A

Was on there was an unrealistic term every one of the barriers that they were both proposing.

A

To deal with closing the 25 foot and now I've driven a lot of places, esther guys a lot of places.

A

There are barely almost done, 25 foot walls you had to get into manchester by the airport, so big and.

A

I've taken a couple of trips to manchester lately um and it really was. It was it's an unrealistic.

A

Term and their formula that asterisk was a 20-year outlook. I don't like that 20-year outlook, because.

A

I guarantee they reduce everything. Noise, sound emissions with the projection that there'll be.

A

Fewer gasoline vehicles and they'll be electric, and the argument will be made with the electrical.

A

Beams noisy as a gas car so like, but they never like esther said they never tell you the formula.

F

Well, I guess that's and that's what I'm trying to say. First of all, I was at every meeting the only.

F

Person from the city that testified was brent and she testified on transportation for elderly.

F

So no one from the city has testified any of the meetings, but with that said,.

F

I would request the city to help us get that formula that was devised according to dot. Last.

F

Year that formula was updated last year. That's they said at the last meeting the meeting down.

F

In hampton, and so I would request that the city help us get that formula or the next council that.

F

Formed them because I'm hoping the next council I'm sure dagon will and kate will continue. This.

F

We'll continue working at getting these sound barriers, but we can't you know: we've.

F

Gotten close, I think we should be commanded. Everyone should be commended because we did get.

F

So far we got something which we never had before, but um to get new frankl on, we got to figure out.

F

That formula, because that's what they keep going back to of, why new franklin isn't getting sound.

F

Barriers, it's some formula that they have yet to produce. Thank you. um Well, obviously, the the you.

C

Counselor kennedy and the mayor, you were very vocal and present during all those meetings.

C

And have represented the position of the city, moving forward relative to staff involvement.

C

Maybe it's something that the legislative subcommittee can, you know have as an agenda.

C

Piece, not just tracking legislation but add on as a piece um this this this sound barrier issue my.

C

Recollection of the formula is also based on kind of frontage right for the for the school and so.

C

So the takeaway from this meeting is to try to work with our delegation to clarify.

C

How that formula gets created and to challenge that in the narrow way, is that is that an accurate.

E

Including the formula in that as a part of the policy that's enforced by the formula as.

E

Councilor kennedy it's good to be able to see. um You know the formula in my conversation with john.

E

And eric anderson came away with a similar one when they reduced it, they were also reducing the.

E

You know this could be you know, years out, but they were reducing the.

E

The reduction in noise- um so I think it'd be good to see that and I think.

E

Richardson private citizens also spent some time looking at ways that we could.

E

Test that in other ways and challenge- and I think we should you know- trust d.o.t but verify you.

E

Know that there is something that they uh it's done. Another way to look at this specifically.

E

Where it could be, you know, potentially a political issue with kids. You know going to school.

F

There's no watching questions that are coming up, so we could still make the argument.

F

Why don't we make the argument that uh president will make the argument? I think.

F

They're still going to do that, just bridges one, because they are going to move forward in 2023.

F

Can I just say one more quick thing? I I think this is the time.

F

That the newcastle has to strike on this because of that expansion. um But one thing we heard when.

F

We were, with the I mean the governor. We gave the whole plans that we got from a pretty good.

F

Source on how this should look, we gave him a whole portfolio when we met with them, but the one thing.

F

We have to um push is, or we heard across the board is our delegation has to get involved. We.

F

Heard it from exec executive councilor stevens, we heard it from others that.

F

They haven't heard pete from our delegation on this topic, so um as a legislative committee, I.

F

Would hope that we could get to the delegation to get more involved, speak up, send letters.

F

As senators and representatives, that would be great. Thank you.

A

All right, then, the other one that was on there was the additional resource uh revenue uh from the.

A

Newspapers of motor vehicle registration bill that uh senator clark has gone and worked on. There is.

A

There is a write-up on their description of the bills um and it's basically upping our.

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Registration fees on vehicles, where we're at five dollars now um and she's, making the.

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Case to go to 15 in hopes of being able to back up. The theory was if you went to the 10 you'd.

A

Probably only get seven or whatever, so she has a couple of supporters on that as well, and I would.

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Hope that we could continue to support her on that uh I'm pushing because I wasn't pushing it.

A

As a mayor, so I can't do that as another revenue stream of sources, basically downloading so much.

A

Onto municipalities and then the final one that we talked about was uh motor vehicle fines of it.

A

I have promised all the mayors, regardless. I will be at the forefront of that um because.

A

I'm the biggest one, apparently um at least I wasn't thankful for that. What did they say.

E

A

um I've been able to talk to a couple of police officers, one that's actually with.

A

Then it would actually generate more money for them. What people think the money, the.

A

State uses the money for it for a little bit. um If you promote infrastructure, they do different.

A

Things with it, but I think in the long run, if this scholars were doing that, I think.

A

I think it would just be another revenue stream. My example was 75 dollar fine on a faulty stop at.

A

The stop sign or running a red light for that 75 dollars value right now, when our police officers.

A

Go out there and do that we get nothing nothing. So I think it definitely is a valid argument with.

A

Tensions with gas with vehicle expenditures and everything that would even be something that would.

A

Offset some of those fees, the aspirations would be great so um that one there and then there are some.

A

There is a movement with plastic bag regulations. um You know if you want to james speak with that.

A

Though I know you mentioned that there's two that I've identified so far one is, would mandate.

C

Restrictions and the other would be enabling legislation which would give permission for.

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Municipalities to enact restrictions, um I'm sure they'll meander through the process um and we'll.

C

Be watching those uh the other one uh was the remote meetings that affects, obviously, all of us.

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And so we'll see what happens there because it impacts our all of our our public meetings.

C

And then um there are several on on affordable housing and workforce housing. I think there are.

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About five that I identify um the one the only one referenced here is also has a component of.

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Training uh for planning and zoning boards. I think this resembles the bill that senator.

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Has a um of it as well as information relative to uh workforce housing? So that's that's another.

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Thing that will be we'll be watching anything that addresses um workforce housing. There's always.

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A lot of right to know bills. You know we just obviously have to pay attention, but we typically.

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Don't, although the legislative supplement could take a position on those we usually just watch.

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And observe those one of the things to remember that's coming back is there were some issues about.

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Removing immunity for for government officials and that that version of is have that.

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On that bill, but that's something that uh you know we would. We would want to obviously watch um again.

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There are some uh restrictions coming forward on on the authority of health officers. We've talked.

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About that um trying to think lots of changes on retirement and hr things that we don't usually.

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Bother the committee with, but it's something that our hr teams obviously needs to watch.

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There's any other.

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There's obviously, a lot of vaccine and masking um yeah hp, 14 55 49 95 13 51, dozens.

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And then you know as we as we discussed earlier, um you know it will be another.

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Challenging session with covid and and how things move forward um on education funding, um we.

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Followed up with you know, jim merrill who's, the lobbyist for the coalition communities.

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To retain bills that would have affected the swept issue that we're concerned about. um One was voted.

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An expedient to legislate unanimously, the the information we're getting from the lobbying team.

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About what's going on uh this session, is that uh that's that's likely not to come forward, given the.

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Complexity of all the other issues that are being addressed, that this is not the time to kind of.

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Fight the education funding fight, although funding is education. Funding is a really important issue.

C

It would be tough, it will be they'll, take a year off and bring it back again. That's what they're.

C

Hearing kind of from the committee members on on school credits was one. They said that.

C

Could still possibly pop up but but the freedom account you know is a billion that seems crazy.

C

There's a billion there's: no billing costs not for that at all. There are a lot of bills, trying.

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To repeal the freedom of education by clarify, quite frankly, I don't have it all completely.

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You know how the mechanics of that works, and so I'll reach out to our.

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Loving team and have them kind of explain it to me, but there's every manner.

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It is challenging, and you know questioning how this works and and it's going to be another.

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Huge fight in the legislature, but how we fund education in so far as the formula.

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I think you're probably going to be less alone, but this particular freedom account is is right.

C

For for lots of discussion, I think that's those were the major issues. Okay and then.

A

The next very moment just update uh coalition communities, 2.0 yeah- I was like education.

A

So I guess my recommendations. I went with.

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Bills are already there: senate has formulated theirs, reaching out to senator quakka.

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You see some of the ones there. I told you. I would volunteer my time to still go and speak for.

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And hopefully, uh you'll join us. We have one more chat for mayors.

A

So it's actually on my birthday too, so it's kind of a little can I can. I say something about the education.

F

um I I know, there's jane is right, there's massive bills, but I do hope we kind of um keep track of.

F

Some some of them are really trashing teachers, um and I I know- um and I would just hope that.

F

The city could, or even I guess, I'm not sure, I'm never quite sure, with this legislative committee.

F

How much of it happens um at city level, how much it happens at school level and who does what? But.

F

With the trashing of teachers that is taking place, I would hope the city could step forward with.

F

A letter, especially some I mean stuff, just came out today um with a letter or some kind of support.

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For our teachers and send it to these bills that are being trashed.

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Where teachers are being trashed now, I know we ended up in national news as educators, because.

F

We were we're willing, we're gonna fight back some of them, um but I guess I would just request that.

F

As these bills pop up, if we could even just send a positive letter of support for our educators,.

F

That would be helpful. I think one of the reasons that school funding is dying, dropping down is.

F

Because all this other chaos is happening and um who wants to go after school funding and trash.

F

Teachers more so I guess um we know the bills are out there. I know other communities are working.

F

Really hard and sending letters of support for their educators- um and I don't know if.

F

That would come from the school board or if that would come from our city um council. But I would.

F

Hope going forward that would happen more readily in this turbulent time for education. Thank you.

C

Choose suggestions to help with that one would be maybe bring this up. The mayor's group as well and.

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That might be a very powerful group uh to to respond and when all the mayors in the city.

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Support you know teachers and would do maybe a joint letter, like you did last year on a lot of.

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Things the other issue would be as a legislative principle. uh You know the new legislative.

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Committee will be looking at those we didn't adopt the slave last time if we hadn't had or do.

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Adopt the slate- and it would be very easy for staff to respond and be able to be more nimble.

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As far as responding to some of these issues, so that could be a topic um that could be added to.

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The principles when the legislative committee reviews those and and perhaps and hopefully.

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Recommends them for consequences and we did joint ones that were with the schools.

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Last year that one, so what we did basically was, I contracted the superintendent. There would be.

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Language that we share, you know as mayors, who go back to our school department.

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Over any of the letters that were being proposed, anything added or.

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Taken away from and she supported that would be that's a very simple thing.

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Using that uh new hampshire municipality was a really good resource for us, too,.

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They see a lot of things that could harm her they'll. Tell us right up front um what.

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We should be looking for so you've got a lot of resources to be able to do stuff like that.

A

All right, um this is nothing else. The only recommendation, if you can, while.

A

You can, I would try to get your legislators together and who your picks are going to be.

A

So you have free phone source that will be things. That's always going to make up. Okay,.

A

Cook said she had some background experience in that.

A

Anything else, if there's nothing, I just want to thank everybody for.

A

The years of all of this, I got into something I never absolutely thought.

A

I would dream of getting into legislative wise, but it does freed me a little bit. I'm not giving.

A

Yes, counselor chase, yes, kennedy.

F

Yes and merry christmas, everyone christmas merry christmas, the chairman, thank you very much.