Increased Property Taxes or “Devastating” Cuts to Services Thanks to GOP-Controlled State Government
- Amplify NH
- Mar 24
- 5 min read
Over the last few weeks, towns across New Hampshire have held their local elections, town meetings, and school district meetings. As hardworking Granite Staters elected new School Board members, Select Board members, Planning Board members, Zoning Board members, other local government officials, as well as debated and voted on important warrant articles and budgets, they did so under the increased pressure from the GOP-controlled State House forcing more costs down to our property taxpayers.
Just last year, as Republicans controlled the State House and the Governor’s office, property taxes increased by $100.7 million dollars, a 38.3% jump. And with continued lack of financial support from the state and the havoc that the Trump Administration is wreaking across the nation, it’s no wonder that at the local level, Granite Staters are being forced to make impossible decisions: raise costs to cover what the GOP-controlled State House refuses to fund or cut essential services.
Let’s take a look back at some of the most difficult decisions Granite State communities had to make over the last few weeks:
Towns Debate Budget Cuts in Response to State Downshifting Costs
One of the headlining aspects of town meetings tends to be deliberations and votes surrounding local budgets. As the Republican-controlled state government here in New Hampshire is forcing higher costs down onto local taxpayers more than ever, local taxpayers are faced with considering their local budgets in response to this “down-shifting” of costs driven by the state failing to live up to their financial responsibilities.
Consequently, New Hampshire communities are left to determine what is “a need” and what is “a want” when it comes to their local government’s spending. And with the GOP-controlled state government failing to support our local communities, it means increased property taxes for hardworking Granite Staters. In Alstead, voters approved an 11% budget increase. Warner approved a 29% tax increase. And Pembroke approved a 12.3% tax increase.
In Loudon, where one town meeting voter said residents were “voting our wallets,” residents opted not to fund the purchase of a new firetruck to replace their current, issue-ridden truck, as well as to pass amendments to the town budget to reduce the amount Loudon will put into its savings, against warnings from Loudon’s Select Board.
“By reducing these more, you’re going to have less in your savings account, so that next year, when we have to replace something that the master plan says we should do, we’re going to be hit with raising money to put into this, which is going to increase your taxes,” said Select Board Chair Jeff Miller in response to these amendments passing.
In Webster, residents approved a 6.5% increase in budget, in order to cover increased personnel costs.
“We don't like it any more than the taxpayers do because we are the taxpayers too,” said Select Board Chair David Hemenway, in response to how this increase could increase Webster taxpayers. “However there's something important to keep in mind and that is that inflation has also been rampant over the past few years and of course, this is one of the reasons why people care so much about a budget going up because everybody's feeling it.”
As State Underfunds Public Education, Granite Staters Pay the Price
While Republicans in Concord have demonstrated that public education is not a priority, with a 2023 court decision ruling that the State is underfunding public education by close to $1 billion per year, Granite State communities are left to shoulder the cost burden.
The Jaffrey-Rindge School DIstrict, they have been forced to eliminate close to 20 jobs and eliminate middle school and high school athletics. Jaffrey-Rindge Education Association co-presidents called these cuts “devastating” and pointed the finger at the lack of state funding for education: “The current funding model places undue burdens on local districts, forcing difficult choices that jeopardize the long-term success of our children and communities.”
Hopkinton voters called out the State’s inadequate public education funding, with many residents calling for the State to boost school funding and explore other ways to absorb any increased costs.
“Our state government has completely abdicated their role, leaving the unfair burden of subsidizing our education to the towns,” said Hopkinton resident Anne Chehade.
This anger comes as Republicans, including Governor Ayotte “issued a finger wagging warning” to local officials telling them to do more with less state funding. Local officials maintain that funding issues such as these should be handled at the state level.
“This is a conversation that needs to happen at the state level,” said Rob Nadeau, a member of Hopkinton’s school board. “It would be a far more appropriate conversation for the state Department of Education to have if it truly wants to help reduce impacts on public schools versus other things that it seems to be more focused on.”
And the State’s inaction has forced other districts to make tough choices in regards to maintaining key personnel and materials. After voters in Merrimack Valley voted to pass a $1.9 million reduction to the district’s proposed budget, Merrimack Valley School Board members are faced with charging families for school sports, forgoing certain building maintenance and halting a program that provides each elementary student a computer in order to prevent teacher layoffs.
“It’s not fluff that we’re talking about,” said Merrimack Valley school board member Stacie Jarvis. “I know my student’s going to be impacted, as well as thousands of other kids. This is not fluff, and this is the result of a group of people cutting the budget down, so just some reality for everybody.”
The State’s controversial championing of Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) also gained traction at local town meetings. This program, championed by Frank Edelbut, diverts taxpayer money away from public schools toward exclusive private or religious schools. This voucher program has drawn concern from mayors and school board members across the state. In order to make up for the loss in state funding as a result of this program, public school districts may have to resort to raising local property taxes to continue to fund non-negotiable expenses such as teacher salaries, overhead costs, and even buses.
Heated discussion about the voucher program broke out at Pembroke’s town meeting.
“State taxpayer dollars are being diverted to private religious schools, leaving you, the locals, to have to cover public education through higher property taxes,” said Pembroke petitioner Marie Straiton. “Even more disturbing is that there's no accountability as to how the money is being used.”
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Thank you,
Ryan Mahoney
Executive Director