I support this bill.
HB1708
House · 2026 sessionDemocraticDied in HouseShifting education tax to businesses
AILowers the statewide education property tax rate over several years, raises the business profits tax rate to offset the reduction, and directs the added revenue and offset payments to the education trust fund and affected municipalities.
relative to statewide education property taxes and other tax revenues.
Status
Committee recommended Inexpedient to Legislate; died at adjournment · February 6, 2026- ✓Introduced
- ✕House
- Senate
- Governor
- Law
Division of testimony
212 submissionsArgument digest · AI-generated
from 51 of 51 written submissionsHB1708 would lower the statewide education property tax (SWEPT) rate while raising the business profits tax (BPT) to offset the lost revenue. Nearly all testimony shown here supports the bill as a way to shift tax burden from property owners onto businesses, framing recent business tax cuts as unwise. The submissions tagged "oppose" in this set actually concern unrelated bills (HB1293, HB1703), so no substantive opposition to HB1708 itself appears among the testimony reviewed.
- Reduce SWEPT, offset with a BPT increaseSupport15 of 51 reviewed
Submitters describe and endorse the bill's core mechanism: lowering the statewide education property tax while raising the business profits tax by a comparable amount to make up the revenue.
“HB 1708 attempts to address this imbalance by reducing the SWEPT rate to a level that is offset by a proportionate increase in the BPT and should be supported.”
— John Walsh, New London · #586751 — read full submission →
“replacing that "lost" revenue with a 1% increase in the business profits tax from 7.5% to 8.5% which is a rate that businesses paid in the past.”
— John Clark, EPPING · #570185 — read full submission →
- Reverse recent cuts to the business profits taxSupport13 of 51 reviewed
Submitters argue the business profits tax has been cut too much in recent years without offsetting the impact on state revenue, and that this bill appropriately reverses or offsets those cuts.
- Businesses benefit from an educated workforce, should paySupport8 of 51 reviewed
Submitters argue businesses benefit from New Hampshire's public education system and educated workforce, and should therefore contribute more toward funding it.
- Property tax burden is already too highSupport8 of 51 reviewed
Submitters describe local property taxes as increasingly unaffordable and support any measure that shifts some of that burden elsewhere.
- State underfunds public schools; court-mandated obligationsSupport5 of 51 reviewed
Submitters argue New Hampshire provides too little state funding to local school districts, citing court rulings requiring the state to adequately fund education.
- Criticizes "freedom account"/school choice fundingSupport2 of 51 reviewed
A small number of submitters connect their support to opposition against state funding for private, religious, or home education ("freedom accounts"), arguing that money should instead support public schools or be returned to taxpayers.
Generated by claude-sonnet-5 (claude code agent) on Jul 22, 2026. Quotes are verbatim excerpts, verified against the cited submission before publication. Summaries are AI interpretation of the record, not part of it.
Ensures fair distribution of education funding across districts, protecting public schools and advancing equity in resources for all students.
This would reduce statewide education property taxes (SWEPT) and make up the difference by increasing the business profits tax. Businesses should pay their share to educate the public. Businesses need educated employees and should help pay for it.
It makes no sense to yet again reduce the business profits tax. Our property and educational taxed are already too high.
Sounds like a solid solution!
Corporate taxes have been continually and unwisely decreased with no perceptible economic benefits to the public resulting in an overreliance on local property taxes for funding public schools. HB 1708 attempts to address this imbalance by reducing the SWEPT rate to a level that is offset by a proportionate increase in the BPT and should be supported. Thank you for your consideration, John Walsh
Business benefits from educated citizens; business should pay . The largest corporations doing business in NH should pay much more for NH public education. Their shareholders and executives are doing just fine. Our schools are not.
Dear Ways & Means Committee: I am a cosponsor who writes in strong support of House Bill 1708. A bill which should bring some property tax relief to many New Hampshire property owners who are struggling to pay their regressive school property taxes. Property tax relief that would be paid for by a modest increase in the more progressive Business Profits Tax. On behalf of my Croydon & Claremont constituents, I urge this committee to give a unanimous positve recommendation to House Bill 1708. Thank you. Rep. John Cloutier
I support this bill because it will increase the business profits tax, which has been reduced in recent years and is proposed to be reduced yet again this session. I think it would reduce the need to increase property taxes on home owners.
Cutting the business profit tax when the state is struggling to balance its budget makes no sense. We should at least revert to our previous level.
Anything to lower our property taxes. Please.
I support this bill which will help fund public schools by increasing somewhat the business profits tax to raise funds for public education.
I am supporting this bill for the benefit of NH voters.
This bill would increase the business profits tax, which has been reduced in recent years and is proposed to be reduced yet again this session. The state cannot continue to reduce taxes and then push local jurisdictions to pick up the slack.. The state cannot continue to reward the wealthy to the detriment of the rest of the citizens.
The state of NH has for too long relied on property taxes to fund our schools. NH should reduce the Statewide Education Property Tax and INCREASE the Business Profits Tax in order to reduce property owner's burdens. The state has been mandated by the court to increase funding for public schools.
Since I support broad based taxes this bill is a no-brainer.
We have to find a way to support public education if we want it to benefit our children and our lives as we grow older.
I feel a 1% tax increase on businesses is fair and reasonable, considering my personal tax bill goes up by more than that every year.
I support using business taxes to support our public schools, especially since the Republican majority, in a fit of fiscal irresponsibility, has decided to throw millions of dollars of taxpayer funds at private and religious schools, a true travesty. This is a way to recover that lost funding for public schools.
Property taxes have become untenable in NH. I fully support helping to level the playing field and letting tax paying citizens benefit. We frequent local business, and while they get a tax break (and have for years) tax payers are paying for it with increased property taxes. This is not right.
This bill would help to reduce the property tax burden on citizens while increasing the Business PROFITS Tax. That tax has been reduced in recent years without some offset to state revenues. That makes no sense to me... an ordinary citizen.
The NH tax system is rewarding the wealthy and businesses, especially large companies and corporations while property taxes and taxes designated as fees are increasing at an exorbitant rate. Support this bill and the citizens of our wonderful state.
Programs need funding and those who make profits in NH should pay rent for doing so.
Please, stop cutting business taxes and bring the taxes that were cut back.
Do not let law enforcement hide! They already have the the law that shields them when they perform their duties properly.