Last week, I released a statement on my website on why incumbent Mayor Joyce Craig deserves an “F” on the important issue of spiking crime in the Queen City.
Afterward, I also announced my own plan to combat crime.
I am now unveiling why Mayor Craig deserves an “F” on taxes and spending in Manchester.
Under Mayor Joyce Craig, who has spent 10 of the last 12 years in city government:
- On her own website under an “Accomplishments” section, Joyce claims that she has “respected the tax cap.” Her actual record shows how incredibly deceptive and untrue that claim is [JoyceCraig.org/accomplishments].
- -Instead of vetoing the most recent budget passed by the Board of Mayor and Alderman, Joyce played politics and worked backroom deals to allow for a budget that overrode the city’s voter-approved tax cap.
- This budget will now result in a 3.29% hike in property owners’ tax bills next year.
- As an alderman, Joyce voted six times to raise Queen City residents’ taxes [Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen – minutes 2009-2015].
- Proposed a 4.5% tax increase, only to be defeated by the mayor’s veto [4.5% tax increase: BMA Minutes, June 10, 2014].
- Lead previous efforts to override the tax cap [BMA Minutes, June 10, 2014].
- Raided Manchester’s reserve account for pet projects [BMA minutes, June 4, 2012].
- Voted for multiple big union raises [BMA Minutes, Sept. 1, 2015 and Aug. 4, 2015].
- As a school board member, Joyce circulated a memo that suggested new ways to tax Manchester residents, including [BOSC Minutes, May 1, 2008]:
- A city sales tax
- A new renters tax
- A new student tax
- A tax on sporting events and a new airport tax
Joyce Craig has been in elected city politics for 10 of the last 12 years. Over that period, she has proven to be anything but a friend to Queen City taxpayers.
For residents on a fixed or tight income, every time that Joyce Craig has taken more out of their pockets, she has made it harder for them to make ends meet. My family is a blue-collar family like so many others in our city, so I can certainly emphasize with how difficult it is to stomach additional taxes when you’re already struggling to get by.
Even with regards to those taxpayers who can dig deeper to pay for Joyce’s inability to manage her spending sprees, they are equally fed up. They no longer feel as if they are getting a good return on their investments given that budgets are about priorities. When our current mayor is more concerned with pet projects like unnecessary bike lanes while crime is spiking, schools are struggling, and roads are crumbling, it is beyond clear that her priorities are out of wack.
It is time for a new leader in City Hall who will protect the tax cap and will prioritize our budgets to fund our needs while being responsible to the taxpayer’s pockets. I will always be that mayor.
