Gatsas for mayor: Tame the budget

Manchester needs a dynamic, innovative mayor to challenge the city's establishment and push through new and better ways of doing and funding the city's business.

Unfortunately, the people won't get that this year. They can, however, get a mayor who will work hard to control the rate of growth of city spending while making sure essential services are provided. That man is Ward 2 Alderman and state Sen. Ted Gatsas.

Neither of the two mayoral candidates, Gatsas and Ward 1 Alderman Mark Roy, has an impressive reform agenda. But between the two, Gatsas makes a stronger case for controlling spending, eliminating waste and providing quality services while living within the city's means.

Gatsas probably knows the city budget better than any elected official in Manchester. He was the main author of the last two budgets. We thought those budgets spent too much, but Gatsas remained adamant that with a Democratic supermajority on the board of aldermen, the relatively small tax increases in his budgets were the best possible options.

Gatsas, a Republican, says he will fight hard to keep spending down, find ways to save money and make the city work more effectively and efficiently. His opponent, on the other hand, offers nothing for the city but unending spending and the tax hikes that would necessarily follow.

Gatsas also supports the much-needed spending cap, which Roy opposes.

Ted Gatsas will devote his considerable energy to improving services and keeping spending in check. And nobody who knows him doubts his work ethic. He has served the city well as an alderman and senator over the years and would continue to do so as mayor. Voters should give him that opportunity on Nov. 3.

 - Printed in the New Hampshire Union Leader on Monday, October 26, 2009