Sample ballots for the upcoming Non-Partisan Municipal Primary Election and Special Municipal Election (Ward 8 Only) to be held on September 21, 2021 in all twelve wards are now available. Absentee ballots will be available soon. Absentee ballot applications are also available directly from our website on our Voter Registration and Elections page, by email upon request, or in person at our office Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Local leaders praise new micromobility option
Today, Mayor Joyce Craig announced The City of Manchester is partnering with the Los Angeles, California-based, shared electric scooter company, Bird Rides, to bring e-scooters to the city. The scooters are available through a mobile phone application and riders pay to use the scooter per minute, at no cost to the city.
“This is an exciting opportunity here in the City,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “We heard from a lot of businesses, who were looking for micromobility options for their employees to easily travel from the Millyard to downtown. I’m thrilled Bird is now here in Manchester, giving residents a new, fun way to travel around our City.”
The company plans on offering scooters to residents and visitors in order to help reduce carbon emissions, as well as traffic congestion on roadways. The scooters also provide a safe way to get around and offer residents without cars another transportation option.
“The young professional community in Manchester could not be more excited to have Bird Rides coming to the city. Many of us really believe these scooters will make the downtown community more accessible and commuter friendly,” said Holly Blanchard, Co-Chair, Manchester Young Professionals (MYP) Advisory Council. “We discussed Bird coming to Manchester at a recent MYP Advisory Council meeting and the overwhelming enthusiasm from council members was clear – it’s game changing. To not have to worry about parking and be able to get around the city more quickly and efficiently is something the YP community has been waiting for. I’m thrilled for this opportunity to be presented to the Manchester community and look forward to seeing tourists take advantage of the many great things this city has to offer.”
"It's great to see Manchester taking steps to support commercial activity and a vibrant downtown. As a company with 70+ employees moving from Elm St to the Millyard later this year, we know it's important to keep professionals coming to work in this city and visiting our shops and cafes -- after all, the empty downtown we all experienced last spring isn't good for anyone. We've already had a few employees buy a bike helmet this week to keep at the office for quick trips around town, and we encourage folks to be safe and responsible whether on bike, foot, car, or scooter,” stated Mike Collins, CEO and Founder, Alumni Ventures.
“This is a great opportunity for downtown, having last mile transportation options come into our city is a game changer for mobility between Elm Street and the Millyard. With Bird, we'll be able to make those connections much easier. Huge thanks to the Mayor and Aldermen for approving this program,” said Liz Hitchcock, Owner, Bookery Manchester.
“As a resident and someone trying to grow a business in Manchester, it is very exciting to see the city take this forward-thinking action to support downtown businesses, residents and visitors. For many people this type of service becomes a litmus test -- as it was with Uber and Lyft. If you don’t have these amenities, you aren’t a place they will choose to stay, work and play,” added Gray Chynoweth, CEO, Minim.
The electric scooters can be used on roads and in bike lanes and have a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour. Scooters must be parked out of the way of pedestrians and never blocking sidewalks. Riders are required to be at least 18 years-old to access the scooters. They are also encouraged to wear a helmet on every ride and are required to obey all standard rules of the road.
Bird offers the following programs that are available for all who qualify:
- Community Pricing: Bird’s Community Pricing Program offers a 50% discount to low-income riders, Pell grant recipients, select local nonprofit and community organizations, veterans, and senior citizens. It’s designed to be the most inclusive micromobility discount program available anywhere. To sign up for the Community Pricing Program, download the Bird app, create an account, and email your proof of eligibility to access@bird.co.
- Free Rides for Healthcare Workers and Emergency Personnel: Bird is proud to offer free rides to healthcare workers and emergency personnel. To sign up, simply email a copy of your medical identification card along with your name and phone number to together@bird.co. Eligible riders will receive two free 30-minute rides per day for as long as it takes to help our communities to recover from this global health crisis.
- Community Mode: Community Mode allows anyone with a Bird account to report or provide feedback on scooter-related issues such as poorly parked or damaged scooters in their area. When a report is submitted, a member of the Bird team is assigned to correct the issue. Anyone can access Community Mode by tapping the yield sign on the bottom left of the Bird map.
If a resident has questions or concerns about the e-scooters the company can be reached directly at 1-866-205-2442 or hello@bird.co. More information about the company can be found on their website and on their blog.
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The Manchester Planning Board is pleased to announce that a final draft of the 2021 Manchester Master Plan is available for public review. The Board would welcome any and all constructive comments on the plan.
The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, August 5, beginning at 6 pm to review and adopt the updated Master Plan for the City of Manchester.
The public is invited to attend and comment.
A copy of the current City Master Plan, adopted in 2009 can be found here.
Last night, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to initially approve American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund recommendations brought forth by Mayor Joyce Craig.
“I’m thrilled the Board of Aldermen voted to move our American Rescue Plan proposal forward. These federal funds provide a unique opportunity to help our city recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and build a stronger economy,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “These programs will have a significant impact on our community; helping residents address health and safety in our neighborhoods, supporting small businesses, increasing affordable housing, and adding workforce development and college education initiatives. This is a really exciting time for our city.”
The majority of the programs and positions are funded through December 2026. Throughout the five years of funding, the City will collect data and measure program effectiveness to ensure this funding not only addresses the negative impacts COVID-19, but helps shape a strong and equitable recovery for the City of Manchester.
Mayor Craig’s recommendations will be discussed in the Finance Committee of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, and will then be brought forward for a final vote. In response to the Aldermen’s initial approval, Manchester community leaders shared their support for the proposal.
“We are pleased to see forward progress and collaboration with the Board of Aldermen on their preliminary approval of the ARPA funds for the City of Manchester,” said Paul LeBlanc, President and CEO, Southern New Hampshire University. “Manchester residents overwhelmingly cited education as one of the areas to which they would like to see ARPA funds allocated, and we look forward to working with Mayor Craig and the Board to help expand access to higher education for public school students in Manchester and to support local workforce needs.”
“The Greater Manchester Chamber, along with many community business leaders, support the proposed ARPA spending plan and the investments that will generate and support job growth, stimulate economic activity and expansion, and strengthen the City’s ability to attract and retain its workforce,” said Greater Manchester Chamber CEO Mike Skelton. “By taking a long-term, investment-minded approach to deploying ARP funding, the City of Manchester can help ensure not only a quick recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic but also that strategic opportunities to enhance the long-term economic vitality of the community are realized and achieved.”
“Amoskeag Health appreciates the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of our city’s residents, especially its children and youth, by moving this proposal forward,” said Lara Quiroga, Director of Community-Integrated Health and Wellbeing at Amoskeag Health. “The Newborn Home Visit Program and the Adverse Childhood Experiences Response Team will help to connect children and their families to community resources to mitigate risk for child abuse and neglect and help families thrive. We look forward to continuing to work together on programming that could have a positive impact now and in generations to come.”
Since March of 2020, Mayor Joyce Craig has been a vocal and influential proponent of direct federal funding to municipalities, repeatedly advocating with the New Hampshire federal delegation, national organizations, and even to former President Trump prior to one of his visits to Manchester.
See the full list of ARPA recommendations, here: https://bit.ly/2TyRnm4
Manchester Parks & Rec is announcing that Hunt Pool will be closed until further notice due to a mechanical issue in the filtration system. We apologize for the inconvenience. The Sheehan-Basquil Splash Pad located next door to Hunt Pool is open daily from 12 PM to 7:45 PM.
The City of Manchester is ranked in the top 20 of WalletHub’s Best-Run Cities in America report. Coming in at #14 out of 150, Manchester ranked above many other New England cities.
“This year has been a true test of the effectiveness of local leadership, as city leaders have had to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, including enforcing restrictions and helping to facilitate the distribution of the vaccine,” stated the WalletHub report.
Added Mayor Joyce Craig, “By making sound financial decisions, continuing to provide services and making decisions that put the health and well-being of our residents first, Manchester emerged from the pandemic in a strong position. This was validated by an independent audit performed by Melanson. In addition, we’re about to end our fiscal year with a $2.9 million surplus.
Since April 2020, Manchester has seen more than $80 million in new construction and just announced the first new airline in 17 years at the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. We have more work to do, but thanks to the commitment of our department heads and city employees, I know we’re setting our city up for success.”
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Manchester Parks & Rec is announcing that The Dupont Splash Pad (11 AM to 7 PM) and Crystal Lake Beach Bathhouse (12 PM to 8 PM) will be open 7 days a week beginning tomorrow, Saturday June 19th. Please remember that you MUST wear a bathing suit at the Dupont Splash Pad. Gym shorts, sports bras, camisoles, leggings and other workout gear should not be worn in the water area.
Utilizing Federal HOME funds, proposal represents a $3.7 million increase over original budget
Today, Mayor Joyce Craig and the Department of Planning and Community Development announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for $4,700,000 to develop new affordable housing units in the City of Manchester. These funds were made available through the federal HOME program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This is a $3.7 million increase in funding for affordable housing projects from the $1,037,611 originally allocated in the Mayor’s FY22 budget. This investment represents the most funding the City has allocated toward the development of affordable housing since the HOME program’s creation over 30 years ago.
“Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing Manchester residents. This significant investment puts people first while at the same time addresses the critical need in our community,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “These funds will allow us to focus on a ‘Housing First’ model to address homelessness, and make sure families, seniors on a fixed income and those with disabilities have access to safe, affordable housing that meets their needs.”
Projects utilizing these funds will provide housing for individuals/families making between 30% and 80% of the Area Median Family Income, defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and require that these individuals not pay more than 30% of their annual income on total housing costs. The funds may be used for the development of new affordable units or rehabilitation of existing units. In addition, proposals are encouraged, but not required, to include commercial space, market-rate residential units, public green space, and public art.
All requests will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of the Director of the Planning and Community Development Department, the Director of Homeless Initiatives, and a representative from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen CIP Committee, who will then make recommendations to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for final approval.
Proposals are due by 3:00 P.M. on July 16th, 2021, and must be submitted to the Department of Planning and Community Development in City Hall.
Download the full RFP
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Mayor Craig, City of Manchester Allocates $4.7 Million for
Development of Affordable Housing
Utilizing Federal HOME funds, proposal represents $3.7 million increase over original budget
MANCHESTER, NH - Today, Mayor Joyce Craig and the Department of Planning and Community Development announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for $4,700,000 to develop new affordable housing units in the City of Manchester. These funds were made available through the federal HOME program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This is a $3.7 million increase in funding for affordable housing projects from the $1,037,611 originally allocated in the Mayor’s FY22 budget.
“Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing Manchester residents. This significant investment puts people first while at the same time addresses the critical need in our community,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “These funds will allow us to focus on a ‘Housing First’ model to address homelessness, and make sure families, seniors on a fixed income and those with disabilities have access to safe, affordable housing that meets their needs.”
Projects utilizing these funds will provide housing for low-income individuals making between 30% and 80% of the area median income, and require that these individuals not pay more than 30% of their annual income on total housing costs. The funds may be used for the development of new affordable units or rehabilitation of existing units. In addition, proposals are encouraged, but not required, to include commercial space, market-rate residential units, public green space, and public art.
All requests will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of the Director of the Planning and Community Development Department, the Director of Homeless Initiatives, and a representative from the Board of Mayor and Aldermen CIP Committee, who will then make recommendations to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for final approval.
Proposals are due by 3:00 P.M. on July 16th, 2021, and must be submitted to the Department of Planning and Community Development in City Hall.
Download the full RFP here.
Since the announcement of requests for proposals for development services regarding the Pearl Street and Hartnett parking lots on May 20, there have been two questions asked by potential respondents regarding language in the RFPs. The City has replied to those questions with clarifying statements. To ensure that all potential respondents have the same access to clarifying information, the questions asked by potential respondents and the replies from the City are listed below.
Question 1 - Is there weighting for each category?
Answer - Affordable housing and public parking are the top two criteria. The rest of the criteria are not in order of importance and are not weighted.
Question 2 - If 330 parking spaces are provided and 165 of these spaces are available to the residents, employees, and customers of the planned development, are those 165 spaces considered “publicly available parking spaces?”
Answer - The phrase “publicly available,”’ as used in the RFP, refers to the ability of nearby business and residents to use the parking garage. The vast majority of spaces on the lot are leased to individuals or businesses in the surrounding area, and the City would like to ensure that the exiting lessees of these parking spaces continue to have the option of leasing parking when the development is complete, whether that be from the City or the building owner. Therefore, we could not consider a parking garage with a total of 330 parking spaces to be making all 330 available to the public if 165 were reserved for residents, employees, and customers of the building. As stated in the RFP, the provision of parking is one of the most important criteria for evaluation of proposals, so the provision of more than 330 parking spaces would help to alleviate the issue of what spaces are “publicly available” and would make a proposal more competitive.
Today, Mayor Joyce Craig announced new LGBTQ+ friendly initiatives in the City of Manchester, in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Every year, HRC releases a Municipal Equality Index (MEI), outlining LBGTQ-friendly policies in a community.
Currently, Manchester falls in the middle of all rated New Hampshire cities. As a result, Mayor Craig and the Human Resources Department have worked to implement the following changes to help create more LGBTQ+ friendly policies and practices:
- LGBTQ+ liaisons have been appointed in the Mayor’s Office and Manchester Police Department who will be important points of contact for LGBTQ+ issues.
- The Office of Youth Services has designated a representative to continue to support transgender anti-discrimination policies and youth bullying prevention policy initiatives.
- The City has established a Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Committee that aims to evaluate workforce dynamics within an inclusive framework that is founded on the ideal of social justice for all, and to help establish a culture that embraces unique perspectives and experiences of city government as well as those served.
- The City is in the process of updating its procurement code ordinance procurement code which will strongly consider organizations with non-discrimination policies in awarding bids and contracts with the City.
- The City’s Human Resources Department has added multiple LGBTQ+ organizations as contacts to distribute municipal job announcements.
- Human Resources includes all new hires and current staff in diversity and cultural competence training to work towards eliminating prejudice among coworkers as well as towards the public.
“I’m proud to announce these changes during Pride Month. It is important for everyone to feel safe and welcomed in our city, especially our LGBTQ+ residents and visitors. These changes will make a big difference and are a great step toward helping Manchester become as LGBTQ+ friendly as possible,” said Mayor Joyce Craig.
“The MEI is a good tool to analyze current processes that the City of Manchester is doing right regarding excellent customer service to all, including the LGBTQ+ community, and assists the City in analyzing processes that the City can improve upon,” said Human Resources Director Kathy Ferguson.
For more information, visit the Municipal Equality Index webpage on the Human Rights Campaign’s website.
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63 percent of eligible Manchester residents have registered for COVID-19 vaccination
Today, Mayor Joyce Craig and the Manchester Health Department announced 63 percent of Manchester residents have registered for their COVID-19 vaccination, out of an estimated 98,000 eligible residents 12 years of age and older.
There have been 52,644 residents who have received one or more doses and 40,637 who are considered fully vaccinated, as documented by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. This data does not include residents and staff who were vaccinated through federal programs, including anyone affiliated with the Department of Corrections, the VA Hospital and anyone affiliated with long term care facilities.
In addition, over the past seven days, the City of Manchester’s test positivity rate has decreased to 1.5%, lower than both the City of Nashua (2.8%) and the State of New Hampshire (1.8%).
“The rapidly declining rates of COVID-19 in the City of Manchester is an encouraging sign,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “Anyone twelve years of age and older is eligible to receive a vaccine, and I encourage everyone who is able to get vaccinated. The sooner more residents are vaccinated, the sooner we can ensure our entire community is healthy and safe.”
“Vaccination provides protection against severe illness and hospitalization related to COVID-19. This is especially critical for seniors and people with chronic conditions, such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease,” said Anna Thomas, Public Health Director. “Vaccination may also decrease the risk of spreading the virus to others. Protect yourself and loved ones by getting a vaccine today.”
To continue this positive trend, the City of Manchester Health Department will be offering a free walk-in, vaccination clinic on Mondays (9:00am-11:00am) and Wednesdays (2:00pm-4:00pm) for people who are age 12 or older. Weekly clinic hours will begin on Wednesday, June 9th and no appointment is necessary. All three vaccine types will be available – Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson (while supplies last). The Health Department is located at 1528 Elm Street and is accessible by MTA bus transportation.
For questions or assistance finding a vaccine, residents can call the City’s COVID-19 Hotline at 603-668-1547 (Monday-Friday from 9:00am-3:00pm). Additional vaccination clinics are offered locally at pharmacies and supermarkets and can be found by visiting www.vaccines.gov.
Thank you for subscribing to the Manchester City Library's newsletter, MCL Notes. The June/July/August edition is now available.
Please be advised that due to present circumstances, the maximum public capacity of the Aldermanic Chambers is fourteen (14) people at this time. Seating is very limited and a face covering is required to be worn where social distancing of at least 6ft is not possible pursuant to a rule the Board of Mayor and Alderman adopted on October 20, 2020.
Members of the public wishing to view the meeting but who cannot enter the Aldermanic Chambers may watch the meeting on Manchester Public Television on Public Television Channel 22 or MPTV’s websitewww.manchestertv.org.
Please see Special Meeting BMA Public Participation Agenda, for rule and instructions regarding providing public comment for the Board’s consideration.
Today, Mayor Joyce Craig announced she will host a series of community office hours throughout the city, beginning on Thursday, May 27.
“For the past three years, we’ve held community office hours in every ward of the city to make local government more transparent and accessible to residents,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “Throughout the summer, we’ll be holding outdoor meetings to talk with residents about their concerns and ideas on how to continue to make our community a better place.”
Dates and times are weather-permitting and may be subject to change.
Thursday, May 27, 12pm - 1pm
Rock Rimmon Park, 264 Mason Street
Monday, June 21, 9am - 10am
Sheehan-Basquil Splash Pad, 297 Maple Street
Wednesday, July 14, 10:30am - 11:30am
Elmwood Gardens, 83 Trahan Street
Wednesday, July 21, 4pm - 5pm
Gossler Park Elementary School, 145 Park Side Avenue
Wednesday, August 18, 4pm - 5pm
Beech Street Elementary School, 333 Beech Street
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Following through on recommendations made by the Mayor’s Affordable Housing Task Force, Mayor Joyce Craig has proposed the creation of an Housing Commission within the City of Manchester.
The Affordable Housing Taskforce was made up of community stakeholders from all aspects of housing, including private developers, finance authorities, non-profit leaders, and city staff. In their final report released last month, they recommended the creation of a Housing Commission through RSA 674:44-h in order to follow through on their recommendations, and to continue to support the housing needs of Manchester moving forward.
“The Housing Commission will work with City departments and boards to ensure we’re doing everything we can to plan for the future while meeting the current housing needs of our city. Through this commission, the City of Manchester will continue to engage members of our community in finding innovative solutions to the rising cost of housing,” said Mayor Joyce Craig.
This Housing Commission, once established by ordinance, would be responsible for following up on the many recommendations made by the Affordable Housing Task Force, and continue their work by “recognizing, promoting, enhancing, encouraging, and developing a balanced and diverse supply of housing to meet the economic, social, and physical needs of the City of Manchester and its residents.”
The proposed ordinance is being presented to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Committee on Administration this evening, May 18th at 5:45pm.
Read the language of the proposed ordinance.
City of Manchester Expected to Receive $43.3M
MANCHESTER, NH -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the launch of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, established by the American Rescue Plan, providing millions to the City of Manchester for COVID-19 recovery.
“I’m thankful these funds can be used to address many of the challenges we faced caused by COVID-19, giving us the opportunity to help residents, support small businesses, increase affordable housing options and make investments in city infrastructure. I look forward to working with our community in the coming weeks and months to ensure these dollars have the greatest positive impact for Manchester residents,” said Mayor Joyce Craig.
The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide flexibility for each jurisdiction to meet local needs—including support for households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, and the communities hardest-hit by the crisis. In addition to allowing for flexible spending up to the level of their revenue loss, these funds can be used to:
• Support public health expenditures
• Address negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency
• Aid the communities and populations hardest hit by the crisis
• Provide premium pay for essential workers
• Invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure
Since March of 2020, Mayor Joyce Craig has been a vocal and influential proponent of direct federal funding to municipalities, repeatedly advocating with the New Hampshire federal delegation, national organizations, and even to former President Trump prior to one of his visits to Manchester.
“Mayor Craig’s leadership and advocacy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been instrumental in informing federal relief legislation and underscoring the needs of New Hampshire communities on the frontlines of this crisis,” said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Mayor Craig, and city and municipal leaders across New Hampshire, to deliver meaningful resources for local governments across our state that meet the most pressing needs of localities and Granite Staters. Help is on the way and I look forward to continuing to work with our cities and towns as funding from the American Rescue Plan is put to use.”
“Mayor Craig has been a valuable partner and strong advocate for Manchester, helping to ensure that federal relief is targeted to keep small businesses open and protect public health,” said U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan. “I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Craig to make sure that American Rescue Plan funds help Manchester get more vaccines in arms, put people back to work, and protect small businesses.”
“Cities like Manchester have been on the front lines of this health and economic crisis from the beginning, and I've been proud to partner with leaders like Mayor Craig throughout this unprecedented time to help our state weather the storm,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “For over a year, Mayor Craig has joined me and leaders from throughout the state in advocating for COVID-19 relief, including the kind of direct, flexible funding for municipal, county, and state governments included in the American Rescue Plan. This support will help ensure that Manchester can continue to provide critical services and allow us to finally put this pandemic in our rearview mirror.”
On March 18, Mayor Craig released a community feedback survey, asking residents to share ideas on how the funds can be utilized to help bring Manchester out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The most popular needs expressed by residents were for improvements to transportation, infrastructure and recreation, with nearly 32% of respondents hoping to spend these dollars improving roads, connecting the rail trail, and promoting a more walkable and livable city. View the survey results.
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Federal delegation praises Mayor for advocacy for direct municipal funding
MANCHESTER, NH - Today, after over a year of advocacy on behalf of the residents of Manchester for flexible funds sent directly to municipalities, Mayor Craig released survey results of how Manchester residents want American Rescue Plan funds to be spent.
Since March of 2020, Mayor Joyce Craig has been a vocal and influential proponent of federal funding sent directly to municipalities, repeatedly advocating with the New Hampshire federal delegation, national organizations, and even former President Trump prior to one of his visits to Manchester.
Mayor Craig’s advocacy on behalf of Manchester has been praised by our federal representatives:
“Mayor Craig’s leadership and advocacy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been instrumental in informing federal relief legislation and underscoring the needs of New Hampshire communities on the frontlines of this crisis,” said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with Mayor Craig, and city and municipal leaders across New Hampshire, to deliver meaningful resources for local governments across our state that meet the most pressing needs of localities and Granite Staters. Help is on the way and I look forward to continuing to work with our cities and towns as funding from the American Rescue Plan is put to use.”
“Mayor Craig has been a valuable partner and strong advocate for Manchester, helping to ensure that federal relief is targeted to keep small businesses open and protect public health,” said U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan. “I look forward to continuing to work with Mayor Craig to make sure that American Rescue Plan funds help Manchester get more vaccines in arms, put people back to work, and protect small businesses.”
“Cities like Manchester have been on the front lines of this health and economic crisis from the beginning, and I've been proud to partner with leaders like Mayor Craig throughout this unprecedented time to help our state weather the storm,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “For over a year, Mayor Craig has joined me and leaders from throughout the state in advocating for COVID-19 relief, including the kind of direct, flexible funding for municipal, county, and state governments included in the American Rescue Plan. This support will help ensure that Manchester can continue to provide critical services and allow us to finally put this pandemic in our rearview mirror.”
“I’m grateful to our federal delegation for listening to the needs of our community and fighting for the direct funding to municipalities that was included in the American Rescue Plan.” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “These dollars are going to have an incredible impact on the lives of the people of Manchester. The results of our community feedback survey show that our residents are ready to bounce back from this COVID-19 pandemic and address important issues like infrastructure, housing and education.”
ARP Community Feedback Survey Results:
On March 18, Mayor Craig released a community feedback survey, asking residents to share stories on how the pandemic has impacted them, and ideas on how the funds can be utilized to help bring Manchester out of the COVID-19 pandemic. 159 residents responded, and while most discussed the social isolation, anxiety and financial impacts related to COVID-19, nearly 24% also talked about the positive impact that the past year has brought about:
“It has slowed us down in a way where we value our local community and realize the dependencies we have on each other. We've learned to love our neighbors more and to support ALL the businesses and people that are working hard each day,” said one resident.
When it came to the $44 million Manchester will receive through the American Rescue Plan, the most popular needs expressed by residents were for improvements to transportation, infrastructure and recreation, with nearly 32% of respondents hoping to spend these dollars improving roads, connecting the rail trail, and promoting a more walkable and livable city.
Additionally, approximately 28% of respondents said their top priority with the funds was affordable housing and assisting those in Manchester experiencing homelessness. 10% would like to see these dollars spent on education improvements, 10% on downtown improvements and local businesses, and 7% on public health.
Find additional results of the community feedback survey here.
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Today, Mayor Joyce Craig and the Board of Assessors announced a change to tax exemptions recently approved by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, expanding the eligibility requirements for elderly and disabled Manchester residents.
For elderly and disabled residents, income limits are increasing from $37,000 to $41,000 for single individuals, and from $50,000 to $55,000 for married individuals. Asset limits are increasing from $90,000 to $100,000 for single individuals and $115,000 to $130,000 for married individuals.
“For the first time since 2014, we’re making elderly and disabled tax exemptions available to more Manchester residents,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “This will help many of our seniors who live on low and fixed incomes, while the costs they face, especially with healthcare and housing, continue to grow. I encourage everyone who thinks they may qualify to contact the Assessor’s Office.”
To qualify for the elderly exception, a person must be 65 years or older as of April 1st, must be a resident of New Hampshire for three consecutive years on or before April 1, must be the owner of record of the property in question and must have income and assets that do not exceed the above limits.
To qualify for the exemption for the disabled, a person must be eligible for payments under Title II or Title XVI of the federal Social Security Act, must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least 5 years as of April 1st, must be the owner of record as of April 1st and must have income and assets that do not exceed the above limits.
Individuals that did not submit an application for the elderly or disabled exemption by the April 15th deadline because their income and assets exceeded the prior limits will now have until Friday, June 18th to file an application under the new income and asset limits. Anyone with additional questions can contact the Assessor’s Office at (603) 624-6520 or visit the Assessor's website.
Manchester Mayor asks State to end unsustainable downshifting to municipalities
Today, Mayor Joyce Craig gave the following testimony to the Senate Finance Committee on the proposed state budget:
“On April 14th, a bipartisan group of Mayors from all of New Hampshire’s 13 cities joined together to write the Senate Finance Committee urging them to consider the impact that New Hampshire’s state budgets have had on municipal governments and local property taxpayers over the past decade. I want to take this time to reiterate those points, and once again ask that this committee prioritize our local taxpayers in the state budget for the fiscal year 2022-2023 biennium.
Budget decisions at the state level have resulted in significant losses of revenue to municipalities, contributing to property tax increases and delays in needed infrastructure improvements. As a Mayor, I understand the difficulties associated with balancing a budget. There are always competing priorities, finite resources and a need to reinvest for growth. But for the last decade, the state has failed to prioritize funding to municipalities, resulting in a heavy financial burden on our local taxpayers that puts a particular strain on retired Granite Staters on a fixed income, young people purchasing their first homes and limits municipalities’ ability to invest in infrastructure.
One of the most significant losses in revenue to municipalities was the reduction in the Meals and Rooms Tax distribution. It was originally created as revenue to be shared between the state and municipalities at 60% and 40% respectively so that both the state and municipalities could benefit from tourism trade and provided funds to help promote the industry and offset any expenses.
Since 2011, municipalities’ share of Rooms and Meals has been trending downward, all while the revenue collected from the Tax has increased by over 60%. The City of Manchester alone has lost out on over $41M in revenue over the last decade from a failure of the State to live up to its commitments.
Another form of revenue sharing of significance to municipalities, enacted via RSA 31-A, was originally intended to “return a certain portion of the general revenues of the state to the cities and towns for their unrestricted use.” This revenue sharing has been suspended since FY09, resulting in a total loss of over $300 million to municipalities and countries. Since 2010, my community in Manchester has lost out on over $47M.
These are just two examples in a long list of downshifted costs and lost revenues to local communities, all while the State is touting an over $160 million revenue surplus for the year. From state pension costs to state aid grants, the State of New Hampshire continues to renege on its commitments to our municipalities and our local taxpayers. Our cities and towns will continue to provide all the necessary services to our residents, who rightfully expect their trash to be collected, their streets to be repaved, and their calls to emergency services like police and firefighters, to be answered quickly. But in return, I ask that the Senate Finance Committee prioritize these services that our municipalities provide and put an end to this unsustainable downshifting.”
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