by Bill Boyd (R) Candidate for Hillsborough County Register of Deeds

For most Americans, financial security occurs through home ownership. Even in this time of economic uncertainty, home ownership has been one of the most steady and sure ways to build toward the dreams that so many families seek – a steady retirement, college for their children and security throughout one's life. Because of this, the mechanisms that track and record real estate transactions must be efficient, accessible and, most importantly, error-free.

This is the job of the Register of Deeds.

My name is Bill Boyd and I am running for Register of Deeds for Hillsborough County. The official records of every real estate transaction in the county are tracked at its offices in Nashua. By itself, the Registry of Deeds can be a very interesting place, with records of great personal intrigue, deep despair and family successes dating back before the founding of our country. However, there is often confusion and questions regarding the role of the Register of Deeds and how it affects the public.

Whether you are a real estate title examiner, a broker, an attorney or preparing to sell or purchase property, the accuracy of the Registry's database is critical in providing the best information possible to the consumer. With records that go back to 1771, and online records going back to 1966, there is a wealth of information available; but also the potential for errors and, more troublesome, identify theft and fraud. Fixing these problems can be quite expensive and time-consuming, and open the county up to litigation.

As a candidate for Register of Deeds, I take this responsibility very seriously. I will ensure that the records of property transactions in Hillsborough County are accurate and meet (or exceed) state standards. In a society where identity theft is prevalent, preserving these vital documents is paramount to the financial security of homeowners in Hillsborough County.

Simply put, a well-maintained and well-run Registry of Deeds saves taxpayers money by preventing unnecessary expense and litigation.

My campaign, "No Good Deed Goes Unrecorded," focuses upon three issues:

Economy: I am a fiscal conservative. It remains important that the Registry of Deeds continue to provide the county excellent services while strategically repositioning itself for the next real estate boom. Currently, the Registry makes more money than it spends while using its profits to reduce the county's property taxes. It will be my intent to continue this practice, ensuring that the registry exercises fiscal prudence within its budget while maintaining appropriate services.

Furthermore, as energy costs skyrocket, we should embrace energy efficiency by investigating whether solar energy to heat and power our facility would lower costs to the county taxpayer.

Efficiency: In an effort to move towards paperless technology, the Registry has adopted a program called "Simplifile." This allows consumers to make land transactions when it is most convenient for them. However, there is a fee to register for the program, along with the cost of printing documents. To further streamline the Registry's processes, I'd like to institute a first-time user program that would allow all people with Internet access the opportunity to print off a copy of their deed at no charge. Integrating local libraries into this program will provide immediate access to those users without the Internet. Utilizing existing and newer technologies will be critical in managing the Registry's resources.

Transparency: The public should know more about how local land transactions are impacting their lives. The Register of Deeds provides public service to the community at large as a land records manager, and as a conduit of information on matters affecting the public as it relates to real estate. Developing an Internet message board to communicate and educate the public about current registry issues and real estate matters would provide real time updates to users.

Managing the Registry of Deeds is a full-time job requiring a full-time commitment. As we continue to move the Registry into the Information Age, easier online information services with efficient document technology, combined with effective fiscal management will be vital to continue and improve upon the level of services for Hillsborough County.

Now that you know the issues, please take the opportunity to learn more about me at www.boydnh.com. You can also contact me at bill@boydnh.com. I hope to earn your support and vote on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Bill Boyd is a Republican candidate for Register of Deeds and a Merrimack resident.

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William W. Boyd, III

139 Joppa Road

Merrimack, NH 03054

"Let the people know the truth, and the country is safe." Abraham Lincoln