Article 5 Makes Money For Seabrook Without Spending Money

For the past several years Seabrook property tax bills have increased. We all know this firsthand. There has been a growing call from Seabrook Town Leaders and taxpayers to find ways to increase Town revenue without raising taxes. This billboard fulfills the purpose of generating non-tax revenue for Seabrook without incurring any town expenses or impact on public services. 

Warrant Article 5 was sponsored by 35 Seabrook taxpayers who agreed with the Seabrook Board of Selectmen and Seabrook Planning Board that new sources of non-tax revenue were needed. These 35 voters signed a petition to have this issue included as a Warrant Article. 

The use of a voter-signed Petition was determined after consultation with Town attorneys who represent the Seabrook Board of Selectmen and Seabrook Planning Board. The use of a petition allowed more clarity in the wording of the Warrant Article as the Town cannot ‘electioneer’ and could only present legal wording that is not in laymen terms. The 35 citizens join most Seabrook citizens who want the Town to remain financially healthy…without raising taxes.  

After nearly two years of public meetings and one-on-one talks with abutters, the Seabrook Board of Selectmen, Planning Board and abutters of the property all support this proposal. This is a way to make money for Seabrook and pay our police, fire and town workers the salaries they deserve without raising taxes and without impact to any public services.

Yes. All primary abutters have signed letters of support in favor of YES on 5. 

• In 2024, a contract was signed with the Seabrook Board of Selectmen and landowner that guarantees Seabrook a minimum of $50,000 per year for the next 20 years ($1,000,000 over the term). 

• The Town could also ask for a lump-sum payment if the Town wants to access the revenue sooner. 

• The $50,000 per year is a minimum annual amount that is based on a percentage of shared revenue from the billboard. It is realistic to say that the Town could very well receive more than the $50,000 per year, but the $50,000 amount is guaranteed each year. This is a contractual obligation, not a promise.

• The Town of Seabrook has the only payment guarantee. In the unlikely event of a default, the Town of Seabrook would almost certainly take action to control the lucrative permit and valuable structure.  

The agreement with the Town of Seabrook also stipulates free display of Seabrook events, public service announcements and Town news. Again, this is a contractual obligation. Local charities (ie,Chucky's Fight) would also receive free space on the display.

The Town will not pay any expenses for this billboard. There are no expenses or hidden costs. Zero. 

All construction and operating expenses will be absorbed by the firm that is hired to find advertisers for the board. There is no impact on schools, police, fire, rubbish removal, snow plowing or other Town services. The billboard will generate money for Seabrook without costing the Town or its taxpayers a cent.

The location of the proposed board is Interstate 95 North, approximately one-quarter mile after the Route 107 overpass. It would be adjacent to high-voltage electrical feeder lines, an Industrial Park, a commercial storage facility and a mausoleum. There are no homes on the billboard parcel. The location is on the northern edge of the Seabrook line, close to the Hampton Falls line (where two grandfathered billboards have been in use since the 1960s.)

No. It is only visible to motorists on Interstate 95. Modern LED technology directs light towards the highway and emit less lumens than a traditional static billboard that bounces bright light off a surface; automatic ‘eyebrows’ blocks all light if you are not looking or travelling directly towards the sign. The height of the sign is also regulated by Federal and State laws, to prevent the sign from being seen beyond Interstate 95.

Abutters have signed letters of support for YES on 5. There are no homes on the land. There is zero environmental impact from this proposal.

No. Federal and state laws prohibit any flashing lights from billboards.

State and Federal guidelines stringently regulate spacing between billboards. There is simply not enough allowable space to put another billboard near where this board is proposed. Any additional billboards proposed along Interstate 95 North would NOT be allowed by Seabrook, state or federal laws. YES on 5 only allows for this billboard on Interstate 95 North. Billboards will still be prohibited in every other part of Seabrook. 

No. State and Federal Departments of Transportation (DOT) studies have consistently shown that billboards do not increase traffic or accident rates. Drivers do not travel to see a billboard. 

All billboards in New Hampshire are governed by stringent state rules that are driven by federal regulations. No obscene or offensive messages are allowed. No cigarette advertising is allowed. A national firm will be hired to sell the space on the board to maximize revenue to the Town. All of these national firms have their own Practices & Standards. 

As with any billboard, the board related to YES on 5 will most logically display local, regional and national advertisers as well as Seabrook events and public service announcements. 

This billboard is located near high-density electrical feeder lines, an Industrial Park and a brightly colored commercial self-storage facility—all visible from Interstate 95. It has also been discussed that this billboard could be iconic in design, meaning it could be decorated with granite and wood and feature a ‘Welcome to Seabrook’ element on the base. This would make it much more visually appealing and distinct from ‘regular’ structures and will certainly enhance the surrounding industrial-like environment. 

YES on 5 for Seabrook is an initiative of the Town of Seabrook and Greg John, a Seabrook resident. John is the individual responsible for campaign content and funding. 

A retired Seabrook resident, voter and taxpayer, John owns two residential properties in Seabrook (one is currently up for sale) and five billboards in New England. He has extensive knowledge in complex state and federal DOT regulations and is a licensed billboard operator, which is a requirement in many states (not New Hampshire). With his decades of experience, John was asked by several community leaders in Seabrook to assess  the viability of a billboard that could generate non-tax revenue to the Town of Seabrook and helped facilitate this agreement with all stakeholders. As a point of fact, no other billboard John currently owns provide any revenue to the municipalities where they are located. This is a novel idea for Seabrook and its citizens.

It should also be noted that while John is a party of the signed agreement with Seabrook, he will not be an owner of the billboard structure, will not be a broker for advertisers, and will not receive money from the Town of Seabrook or the landowner if YES on 5 passes. 

Please email 'gj@yeson5forSeabrook' with your question and/or phone number and you will be contacted immediately.