The more taxes, the better.
MANCHESTER, NH May 29. 2026–Amidst the housing affordability crisis he regularly complains about, Ward 1 Democratic Alderman Bryce Kaw-uh is campaigning hard for the budget that would increase city taxes by a whopping 12%. Following his comments in support of a budget put forward by at-Large Alderman June Trisciani and Ward 9 Alderman Jim Burkush on behalf of all nine of the Democrats on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, Kaw-uh has campaigned hard for the tax hike in multiple social media posts and an online editorial.
In one post, Kaw-uh complained, as he did on May 19, the night the Democratic budget was tabled, that spending wasn’t increased by nearly enough, identifying what he believed still should have more money, despite the unprecedented $22 million property tax increase contained within the Democrats’ budget. His social media posts have alternately advertised what the city would “lose” if the tax heavy Democratic budget didn’t pass and urged people to contact the Republican aldermen and ask them “how they plan to fix your street without funding.” Kaw-uh did not disclose that Mayor Jay Ruais‘ budget allocated $7 million to roads, making it seem that the $1.6 million included in the Democratic budget was the only money in the budget for roadwork.
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Kaw-uh has blamed the city’s financial woes on the past two budgets which Ruais has bragged came in “further under the tax cap” than any budget in history. Had the city’s tax cap been maxed out, Kaw-uh claims that the budget would now be $11.5 million higher than it is and this year’s budget problems wouldn’t exist. (Publisher’s note: We have thoroughly documented how the past two budgets actually cheated the tax cap by improperly allowing the use of emergency reserve funds as “revenue” to avoid spending cuts that would otherwise have been required to meet the tax cap.) Ruais similarly boasts that those two budgets saved taxpayers millions.
The Democrats’ budget raises taxes by almost triple the $8 million allowed under the tax cap this year, causing the tax rate to skyrocket by a historically high 12%. After the budget was tabled, Kaw-uh signed on to a statement complaining that no Republican alderman would vote to pass it. Kaw-uh himself asserted the Democratic budget was a “compromise” that made no-one happy, including himself, as he wanted to see more money spent on schools, among other things. In his recent opinion piece, he said he would “advocate for a budget that makes Manchester whole” and supported “the same values” as the “majority of my Ward 1 constituents.”
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Absent from any of Kaw-uh’s posts, opinion pieces or public statements is anything about the staggering increase in taxes the budget he supports would cause. He merely refers to what would be lost if spending didn’t increase and what still won’t be funded if the Democratic budget is passed, often citing roads, public safety and schools. The comment sections under his social media posts seem to contradict his assertions that the majority of his constituents in Ward 1 want the budget he supports passed.
Meanwhile, Ward 8 Alderman Ed Sapienza and Ward 6 Alderman Crissy Kantor have released an alternative budget they plan to introduce at the board’s meeting on Tuesday June 2 at 7 PM. The two Republican aldermen released the budget to Girard at Large and other media outlets after being told by the mayor’s office that it could not be included on the agenda for the meeting. They also forwarded their proposed changes to every alderman later in the day. The pair hopes it will give those who are opposed to the Democratic plan to radically increase taxes and spending an alternative they can rally around and they are urging residents to call the mayor their aldermen and show up at City Hall to tell the board they can’t afford that kind of tax hike.
Kaw-uh’…does he know how “the other half” lives?
Some have speculated that Kaw-uh, a senior software engineer at Fidelity Investments, is unable to understand the financial pressure average citizens, taxpayers and renters alike are under. Said one person who wished to remain anonymous:
“Kaw-uh makes a lot of money and lives in a 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom house on almost half an acre in one of Manchester’s most exclusive neighborhoods. He doesn’t have kids. He’s not trying to feed a family or get them to their sports and activities. He has no clue about the struggles of average working people or families. If he did, he wouldn’t ignore a tax increase of this magnitude. It is going to make housing in Manchester more unaffordable, including the rental housing most working people live in. Between his tax hike, the revaluation, and the crazy increases in sewer rates, rents and mortgages are going to explode. You can’t be for affordable housing if everything you vote for makes it more expensive.”
