Also on today’s menu:
Increased Elderly Exemptions Proposed
Bill Would Allow Rent Control Regulations
Housing Solution For Homeless Women
Thomas John Ball Poirier, 41, of Tilton will serve two consecutive two- to four-year prison terms after pleading guilty in Merrimack County Superior Court to three felony charges arising from his conduct while employed by Spaulding Academy and Family Services in Northfield. The sentences were for a Class A felony of first-degree assault, causing serious bodily injury to a 12-year-old child, and a Class B felony, second-degree assault, causing serious bodily injury to a 16-year-old. The judge issued a suspended 3½- to 7-year sentence on the third second-degree felony charge of obtaining a controlled drug by deceit.
According to the Attorney-General’s Office, between July 3, 2020, and December 22, 2020, Poirier stole prescription medications, replacing them with unknown substances that he colored with marker pens to make them appear to be the children’s medications. As a result, two of the children experienced severe behavioral changes.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice, the Northfield Police Department, the Tilton Police Department, and the United States Food and Drug Administration conducted the investigation. Attorney Andrew Yourell and Senior Assistant Attorney General Thomas T. Worboys of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit prosecuted the case.
Increased Elderly Exemptions Proposed
Among the items that will be appearing on the Northfield Town Meeting Warrant is a proposed change to the elderly property tax exemptions to avoid hefty increases in senior citizens’ tax bills.
The proposed changes for those between the ages of 65 and 74 would increase the exemption from $75,000 to $150,000; those 75-79 would increase from $80,000 to $162,000; and those 80 and up would increase from $115,000 to $205,000.
Assistant Town Administrator-Finance Director Stephanie Giovannucci said that, without adjusting the exemption amounts, increases in the town’s property values would result in huge tax increases for those on fixed incomes. As it is, she said, “I can tell you I’ve had at least two people that went without fuel to pay their tax bill, and one that put off getting their prescription.”
Bill Would Allow Rent Control Regulations
Lawmakers who have proposed House Bill 95 want to allow selectmen and city or town councilors to pass emergency bylaws without voter approval to place limits on the percentage of rent increases and require longer notice requirement for tenants before rent increases occur on properties with four or more units. Representative Ellen Reed (D-Newmarket), the prime sponsor of the bill, said recent rent increases have forced many people out of their long-time residences.
Nick Norman, director of legislative affairs for the Apartment Association of New Hampshire, said government-imposed rent control is not the answer. The high rental costs are due to the lack of affordable housing, causing a rental vacancy rate of less than 1 percent in many communities. Joanie McIntire, president-elect of the N.H. Realtors Association, agreed that the problem is not enough housing.
“The answer to expand the housing supply is not more government regulations,” McIntire said. “The problem is a lack of inventory and this [bill] makes matters worse” because developers would not build new housing.
Housing Solution For Homeless Women
Manchester has received court approval to remove a homeless encampment on the sidewalk at Pine Street, but no alternative housing existed until January 18, when the Executive Council approved allowing the city to use the state-owned Tirrell House at 15 Brook Street as a shelter for the next three years.
Lori A. Weaver, interim commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, said the building would be made available immediately after the vote to help house women. She said the state does not require that it be used only for women, if there is a need for others to use the property, but the proposed agreement between the state and the Manchester Board of Mayor and Alderman calls for the city to use the building to house up to 16 women.
The city will be responsible for all maintenance and repairs necessary.
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