Yes We Can...er....Maybe Not?

Fosters Article published Mar 2, 2009
It's déjà vu for Durham

While the faces sitting in front of the camera and behind the table change a bit each year, the issues don't.

During a recent Durham Town Council candidates forum, five candidates seeking three seats put their best faces forward.

On the issue of development: Durham needs it, but just where in town is still the debate.

On the character of the community: It must be protected.

On the cost of living in Durham: Too high for too many.

On relations with the University of New Hampshire: Need work.

On the future of Durham: It must move forward.

All of the above could and often have been said or written of Durham over the past four or five decades.

Why? Because Durham is a community divided, even though many won't admit it.

What most do agree on, however, is that Durham is a beautiful community with a solid school system.

But there are two rubs.

One is the University of New Hampshire. The other is the tax rate.

The story has been told over the years of homes that are gorgeous from the outside, but barely furnished inside. Whether that is true today, it has been the case on and off in the past.

Then there are the candidate forums, like the recent one, bemoaning that young families and retirees are being forced out of town because of the taxes they must shoulder.

Whether the university is a burden or a benefit is always on the debate table. Sometimes UNH is a thorn in the side of taxpayers. At other times the university is a "best bud."

The bottom line is that Durham is an expensive community in which to live, raise a family and retire. Based on current and past candidate forums, there is no reason to think that will change. soon. Those who seek to dramatically grow the tax base are in a Mexican standoff with those who like Durham they way it is and are willing to pay the price.

It's a bit like the Democrats and Republicans in Congress. Whomever is in the majority at the moment gets to push a bit in their direction, but never gets very far before losing power.

As for UNH, every political debate season promises to renew talks with a new or relatively new university president. But results are few and far between.

Are there issues, if tackled properly, that could move things along to affordability and ease relations with UNH?

The consensus over the years has been "yes, we can." But then the will wanes and local taxes rise. When this happens a new crop of candidates files into forum chambers as election time nears to repeat what newbie candidates before them have said many times.

Don't misunderstand. Durham's fate is not sealed, and there is no intent to badmouth anyone. But it would be nice if someone who spoke out during one of these forums about real change stood a chance of getting elected. That's dynamic change. That's grab-the-bull-by-the-horns change. Without being partisan, perhaps an Obama type at the local level is what Durham needs.

But there is a sense that this kind of candidate scares Durham voters into playing it safe. The result is that Durham gets safe candidates and as a result nothing much changes — taxes remain high and, fair or not, UNH remains a punching bag.