Basil E. Mason, Hollis Budget Committee candidate
Hollis Budget Committee – one seat, three-year term
Name: Basil E. Mason
Age: 70.
Address: 206 South Merrimack Road.
Years of residency: 70.
Family: Wife is Sandra Lorden Mason. Children are Kevin Mason of Hudson and Todd Mason of Lyndeborough.
Occupation: Retired trailer truck driver.
Education: High school graduate; Certified fireman, 29 years, volunteer in Hollis.
Political history: One of founding members of Hollis Taxpayers.
Affiliations: 5 years N.H. National Guard.
Question 1: What would you do as a member of the Budget Committee to increased fiscal responsibility for the town and the Hollis School District?
I have lead group in setting up SB2 on ballot this year. Hope to control waste of tax dollars by having an all-day vote at poll from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. with absentee ballots, so more citizens would be able to vote on money matters, without going to late night meetings to be heard. The main thing I think is to question budgets, when school populations are going down and the seniors are becoming a larger percent of the taxpayers.
Question 2: What steps would you take to ensure all residents’ needs are taken into account when developing the budgets?
Being a senior I know about what is needed and would be asking questions of why certain spending is needed. I know that senior’s pensions are fixed at the time they retired and there is no way our financial situation will change. I would like the town to take a broad view and understand the longer a person can afford to live in their home, the better it is.