Please watch this important message from the Citizen’s Realty Advisory Program outlining the Tamworth Millionaire Program (T.M.P.): a bold new initiative the Tamworth Selectmen have embarked upon to help struggling residents through these difficult economic times by drastically increasing their net worth. Find out how you too can become an overnight multi-millionaire simply by criticizing the actions of Tamworth politicians. This film may also be educational for other emotionally insecure, brazen, morally bankrupt politicians outside of Tamworth who are looking to increase tax revenue in their own towns.

More information on the T.M.P. can be requested from the town officials by mailing this easy-to-use form to:

Tamworth Board of Selectmen
84 Main Street
Tamworth, NH 03886

…or by contacting the Selectmen’s office directly at 603-323-7525. The Selectmen are also handily available via admin@tamworthnh.org. All personal information on the form is certainly optional, but if you’d like a response from the office staff under RSA 91-A, you may want to include some type of contact information. Sending in something particularly witty? Berated on the phone by the office staff? Please let us know at info@livefreeandcomply.org

My new status as a multi-millionaire arose out of a 20 second conversation with the tax assessor, Phil Bodwell, several months ago in which he asked to set up a time to meet with me so he could inspect the property and home; I replied that if I have to, I guess I have to, otherwise, we are a private family and would prefer to keep it that way. This policy of mine for nosy bureaucrats is not unique to the assessor’s office – my past experiences with the town government have caused nothing but problem and expense for me; the less they are involved in my property the better.

I have personally provided the Selectmen’s office with a septic plan, footprint of the house, a current use map, a detailed building notification form including square footage and number of bedrooms, as well as photos of each side of the four sides of the house and the barn. I cannot imagine what more they could possibly need to come up with an assessment at least bearing some semblance to reality. The Selectmen are hardly hurting for property comparison’s in Tamworth when it comes to single-family homes with agricultural uses of land – this is the theme of hundreds of the properties in town.

This is not the first occurrence of this problem. Selectman Willie Farnum, prior to a public meeting, openly described his policy for dealing with the few hundred privacy minded families who did not give their permission for the tax assessor to enter their homes during last year’s re-assessment: evaluate the interior of their homes at the highest level possible (assume the interior of an old Tamworth farm house is encrusted with granite countertops and $800 faucets, for example), and residents will come to the Selectmen begging to have the assessor in their home when they see their tax bill. This policy could account for the first million dollars of my assessment, but John Roberts’ motion, seconded by Farnum, to increase my assessment to four million dollars is clearly a perpetuation of their objection to folks speaking out against them that started with former Selectman Tom Abugelis’ public flogging for a letter-to-the-editor criticizing the mentality of town government. I can’t imagine the Selectmen will fess up to their assessment being a punitive measure, but a four million dollar price tag on an unfinished single-family home and a 36′x36′ barn speaks for itself.

I have been an active observer of the town government in Tamworth for over a year now, and a four million dollar punishment for what one thinks, says, and writes in town is even shocking for what I have unfortunately come to expect out of Willie Farnum, John Roberts, and Cassandra Pearce. I have lived in large cities where mayors have been convicted for acts of corruption such as stealing thousands of dollars worth of gift cards intended for needy children, and I do not believe even they would think of pulling something so blatantly smarmy in shallow retribution for what one thinks, says, and writes.

My attorneys are pursuing all legal avenues against the Selectmen to resolve such an inaccurate tax assessment based upon the stacks of information they had available to them. That said, the bravado of the Selectmen’s actions indicate that they think they are invincible, with a “bring it on” mentality to any objection to their unlawful and outlandish actions. Any challenge to them through the court system will only involve their well-paid taxpayer-funded town attorney, and any so-called “win” in court will again only be funded by money that they forcibly extract from hard-working Tamworth residents – there are no substantial personal consequences for them through the government system.

Thus, I think the most effective means of countering the Selectmen’s office is through the continued broadcasting and critiquing of their actions, as they clearly find my writings and a few cartoons poking fun at them to be so dangerous that I am in need of a four million dollar spanking. With this spirit in mind, I hereby offer my property for sale to either Selectman Farnum or Selectman Roberts at a rock-bottom price of $3.5 million – that way they make an easy $500K (by their calculations) and get rid of me in town, all in one simple real estate transaction.

The Selectmen’s history of causing problems for families and businesses in town who have caused harm to no one, their “bring it on” mentality, and their trend of punishing residents for their thoughts and words is a very negative and destructive path for Farnum, Roberts, and Pearce to take Tamworth down.

Selectman Willie Farnum and Cassandra have openly discussed their creepy endeavors cruising around town eyeing what they can see of gravel operations from the road. Lessons learned: don’t let bureaucrats on your property, and put some shrubbery between your property and their leering eyes.

Lord knows government offices are drowning in stacks of unproductive and problem-causing paperwork – as long as this is going to be the case, however, leaving unelected bureaucratic staffers at the helm is indeed mildly worse than semi-accountable local politicians.

The passionate and vehement reaction displayed by Farnum, Roberts, and Pearce to someone who isn’t philosophically “one of them”, as is the case with Bob, having access to all the town records leaves one wondering what they’re so worried about.

It’s starting to sound like Chicago around here.

• An understanding that “Government spending is always a prerequisite for taxes.“
• Promoting “the ideas of liberty, better living and less government coercion through private property rights” in town.
• “Resolving the negative effects of government spending and excessive taxation that exist in Tamworth.“
• “Your property taxes are not a voluntary contribution.“
• On zoning: “How many regulations, how many boards, how many commissions, how many committees and how many ordinances do there have to be to tell us what we can’t do with our land.“

Wow. Actions speak louder than words, but statements like those bode well for those future actions.

We take a pretty pessimistic view of political office holders, as 99% of them at every level of government end up assimilating into the system over months or years (advocating for things like “getting things done through government”), and end up with a complete lack of understanding that the only thing that town government gets done is taxation and regulation. In this case, judging by Bob’s campaign statements, and his actions thus far, Bob looks like he’s in it to fight the good fight within a rotten system: since taking office, Bob has publicly fought back the Selectmen’s control-hungry secretaries (”you work for us and the people of Tamworth, not the other way around“), fought for more openness in town records, battled unjustified tax increases on resident’s properties, and tries to enlighten the Selectmen about their open government responsibilities under RSA 91-A (best o’ luck with that fruitless endeavor). He’s such a problem for Willie, John, and Cassandra that they just pretend he’s not speaking some of the time – always classy from those three.

That said, who knew former Selectman Tom Abugelis got it as well, and the powers that be kept him fairly effectively squelched over the years. Here’s to hoping Bob continues to be a cog in the wheel of the rotten town government – we’re pretty sure Willie, John, and Cassandra don’t know what to do with a gun totin’, motorcylce ridin’, small business owning regular fellow in their midst.

Please Bob: give ‘em hell, and don’t assimilate to having a government-control mindset as folks in political office so often do.

That said, while Tamworth does suffer from people of a certain mindset seeking to “control, limit, and define our freedoms and lifestyles”, as Tom put it, the “aristocratic elite” in town would have no power and control if not through the force of government. As evidenced by town governments across New Hampshire, sick as it may be, it would seem that there are plenty of folks willing to volunteer hours upon hours of their time to “control, limit, and define” other people’s freedoms and lifestyles  – the root of the problem is a system that gives twisted people such as these the ability to “control, limit, and define”.

In response to Tom’s letter, Selectman John Roberts publicly lambasted him at the following Selectmen’s meeting for upwards of twenty minutes: “In all the years that I have been in office, no Selectman in Tamworth has ever done something like this before. You have possibly tainted the whole election – I am ashamed to sit next to you.” As one witness described the encounter: “I have never been so appalled at public behavior by a locally elected official [Roberts].  It was a viscous attack.” Roberts was purportedly upset with regard to legal concerns about electioneering in RSA 659:44. Abugelis said he was “blindsided and bullied” by John’s attack.

Let’s be real: the Tamworth Selectmen have shown themselves to be far from concerned about potential illegalities resulting from any of their actions – as Tom put it with regard to his “aristrocratic elite” critique: “If the title fits, they’ll react to it.” It would seem the resulting verbal flogging of Tom by his colleagues is a good indicator that they thought the title fit. A little too well.

Letter to the editor:
I am endorsing Bob Abraham for selectman of Tamworth. Bob will best represent the interests of our business community in a practical, thoughtful and fair manner. Bob will represent the majority of the people and will remember the disempowered, disillusioned and discouraged folks of our town.
Bob Abraham is not part of the self-appointed Tamworth aristocracy and self-focused elite. Bob’s strengths have been forged by hard work, 25 years of business experience and common sense.
The town of Tamworth stands at another tipping point in its history. Undeclareds, moderates, libertarians and conservatives are about to be totally overtaken by the elite, focused on their own personal agendas that seek to control, limit and define our freedoms and lifestyles.
Please vote for Bob Abraham. Vote of fiscal responsibility. Vote for individual and business rights and freedoms. Thank you.
Tom Abugelis, outgoing selectman
Tamworth

Selectmen Abugelis, Farnum, and Roberts went a bit overboard with their new town raffle permit, inventing new rules and powers for themselves. From their new raffle regulations: “It is the express intent and purpose of these regulations, to strictly regulate the conduct of raffles within the Town of Tamworth, through the issuance of permits for the conduct thereof, to protect the welfare of the citizens and to prevent criminal activity“. Strictly regulate indeed – Selectman Willie Farnum stated at the most recent Selectmen’s meeting that not complying with their raffle rules would be a prosecutable criminal offense!

Initially under the auspices of merely “doing their job” and complying with a silly yet onerous state law, the Selectmen have gone above and beyond and come up with these gems in their new raffle permit, none of which are provided for in RSA 287-A:

• Local charitable organizations must have their permit submitted 30 days ahead of time. Billy’s Boy Scout Troop raising funds for that scout trip in two weeks? That’s a Willie Farnum “criminal offense” right there.
• Prizes must be listed in advance for the Selectmen as well as ticket prices, along with a sample raffle ticket attached to the application. – last minute donation of a raffle prize not pre-listed on their application? Criminal offense, apparently.
• The sponsoring organization must register with the Attorney General’s office, in complete conflict with RSA 287-A:1 II. (b). According to the new permit application: “Organization must be non-profit, a charity and registered with the Non-Profit Charitable Trust. To register, Call Attorney General’s Office, Division of Charitable Trusts at 271-3591.“
• Police review of the “suitability of the applicant for a permit”. Surely any notorious con-man defrauding people on a raffle (huge problem in Tamworth these days, you know) will make sure he has his paperwork duly filed with the town in advance. This is the problem – the only people who are going to care about filing the town’s silly paperwork are local community groups looking to not get in trouble with the bureaucrats.
• Finally, in classic Tamworth town government style, there is a blanket exemption from all of their new invented rules as well as all the existing silly state rules on raffles should the Selectmen deem it appropriate. While the Selectmen choosing not to enforce the obnoxious rules of the state or town government is a positive thing, Tamworth has a history of a lot of problems arising from having two sets of rules in town, depending on who you are and your associations with town government.

The seriousness with which the Selectmen seem to take charity raffles would be humorous, if their raffle sillyness wasn’t so indicative of how things roll with the Tamworth town government: causing problems and expense for people who have harmed no one, eyes lighting up at the thought of just a little more power, control, and paperwork, and inventing rules in conflict with common sense and state law. The Selectmen ought to leave the dozens of community groups in Tamworth alone, rather than protecting “the welfare of the citizens” with more paperwork and problems.

On his way out, Bob stated he heard Cassandra on the phone to Police Chief Dan Poirier to report that “there are people with guns” at the town offices. Turns out there were several other peaceful and responsible folks with firearms at that evening’s Selectmen’s meeting. Local officer Penny Frechette was observed in the hall later in the evening during the firearms discussion at the Selectmen’s meeting – Chief Dan Poirier refused a public records request for the specifics of his department’s call logs and reports for that evening, stating that he “doesn’t think that’s public information”.

Anne and Cassandra may want to ask themselves why they’re so concerned that people would be so mad at their actions that they think they need to be throwing local self-defense-minded gun owners out of their offices fortified with taxpayer funded security glass.

With the stubbornness of an ornery donkey in heat, Selectman Willie Farnum let out one last political gasp after the Selectmen voted to remove the offending policy, declaring that he’d like to formally have added to the town policy that the Selectmen “respectfully request” that town employees not possess firearms at work. Update: Abugelis and Roberts steer clear of more firearms problems, turning down Farnum’s suggestion for a “respectful request” from the Selectmen at their subsequent meeting.

Selectman Tom Abugelis wrapped up the discussion: “I think this is an example of a town operating with openness and responsibility out of care and concern…I’m very proud to work with my two fellow Selectmen because of the degree of thinking and thought and care that they put into every issue. To me, it’s an example of really effective local leadership.” Christ, if this Selectboard in general, and their smarmy response to the firearms issue in particular, is a fine example of “really effective local leadership”, Tamworth is in some real trouble.