NH House Testimony

HB200

House · 2025 sessionRepublicanSigned into law

Local tax cap override rules

AI

Requires a supermajority vote of the legislative body to override a local tax cap.

relative to the procedure for overriding a local tax cap.

Taxes - LocalMunicipalities

Status

Signed into law · July 22, 2025
  1. Introduced
  2. House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Division of testimony

255 submissions
Support 28Oppose 226Neutral 1
Shirley MontgomeryOpposeHanover, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

I oppose this bill because it would make it more difficult to fund public schools.

Sharon RacusinOpposeHanover, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

NO. This bill would make it even more difficult to fund public schools under the arbitrary metric."\

Sandra BothmerOpposeBrookline, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

I This bill would make it difficult to fund public education. As a retired NH 3rd grade teacher from Hollis, NH, I opose this bill.

Amy AgostinoOpposeLondonderry, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

No. This would make it so much harder to fully fund public schools. I absolutely oppose.

Debrah HowesOpposeBow, NHfor American Federation of Teachers - NHFeb 27, 2025

This is a usurpation of local voters' control over their local budgets.

Thomas HumphreysSupportBrookline, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

I support this bill and request that you do likewise.

Leane GarlandOpposeHanover, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

Let local communities decide how they want to budget. Why does there need to be a law regarding a tax cap -- let local voters decide how high they want their budgets to go. Believe me, if the request is too high. they'll vote it down! No need to lock in a tax cap!

Joanna AndrosSupportWalpole, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

I think each town or district can and does decide how much they are willing to spend so the bill is not necessary.

Michael NikitasOpposeConcord, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

Please do not keep gutting funding for NH public schools!

Patricia AnastasiaOpposeLondonderry, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

This bill would make it even more difficult to adequately fund our public schools

genevieve ChristyOpposewonalncet, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

School budgets may be the most important budget for a town. It is crucial that residents not face barriers to implementing budgets for their schools.

Patricia MartinOpposeRindge, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

This would negatively impact consumers and small businesses. I strongly oppose this bill.

Mary DownesOpposeMadbury, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

Requiring a three-fifths majority to override a veto cap will hamstring local officials who are responsible for providing for their communities, even as needs change and responsibilities shift from federal to state and local governments. We don't know what the future holds, but we do know that throwing up barriers to officials at the town and city to respond appropriately is ill-advised.

Ana Gregorio-VasconcelosOpposeWindham, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

I feel this bill would make it difficult for public school to be adequately funded; therefore, I am against passing this bill.

Mary WilkeOpposeCONCORD, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

It's high time we modernize our voter registration system.

Sally PattonOpposeNEW LONDON, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

School districts MUST remain non-partisan!!!!

Debra GreenOpposeGreenville, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

This will only make NH even more unaffordable to live in. This is just a stealth move to push through in a law that would be WILDLY UNPOPULAR with your constituents. No super majorities! And stop trying to take all our money!

Pamela NobleOpposeMeredith, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

This bill would make it even more difficult to adequately fund our public schools. It is imperative that our public schools continue to receive the funding and support for our children.

janet wardOpposeContoocook, NH 03229, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

The League of Women Voters NH voted by consensus in 2018 to support public schools because they prepare young people to become informed participants in our democracy. Our public schools are one of the key foundations of our democracy. HB 200 moves in a direction that would undermine necessary financial support for our public schools as well as other elements that help communities thrive. Please vote against HB 200. Thank you. Thank you for your consideration.

Ray ChadwickSupportBEDFORD, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

Granite State Taxpayers supports efforts and legislation to promote awareness of the financial impact on taxpayers of spending and taxing options, to institute and defend tax cap legislation, and promote better public awareness of the impacts of proposed projects and ballot choices. HB200 would require a supermajority vote of the legislative body to override a local tax cap. Granite State Taxpayers recommends a vote FOR HB200 Ray Chadwick, Board Member

James HiltzOpposePembroke, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

This bill simply makes it more difficult to adequately fund our state's public schools, in a time when we should be strengthening and aiding our public education system rather than trying to make it more difficult to improve. We have already seen in similar situations that rules like this will only make unpopular and/or unhelpful initiatives more difficult to remove with the necessity for the required supermajority, only working to prevent future legislation from improving our schools.

James ArgeriouOpposeCandia, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

I oppose this bill.

School board member Stefanie SchmidtOpposeKensington, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

Why must we constantly be fighting for funding for our schools? In the year 2025, with all of the resources, technology, and institutional knowledge that we have, we are still "nickel and diming" our students. Our future! It's shameful. Tax caps on school budgets are the equivalent of putting up a brick wall for our schools - they stop any discussion of how and why money is spent in a district. They stop any discussion of legitimately rising costs. They take control away from the locally and fairly elected school board officials who have knowledge and work hard to keep the budget in line. Tax caps are arbitrary dollar amounts, often with no research behind them. What is so infuriating about this is that you, the legislature in Concord, are the reason districts like mine have to fight with our residents who are struggling to pay their taxes. Taxes are high because Y O U can't figure out a way to fund education. And now you want to swoop in to our local districts and make it EVEN HARDER for us to do our jobs and educate our kids. It's honestly disgusting. I don't know why I'm surprised though! Most of the NH legislature is made up of retired folks who don't have kids in the schools. You got yours and you pulled up the ladder behind you. Honestly don't know how you sleep at night.

Julie LaracyOpposeConway, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

This bill will make it more difficult to fund public schools. I oppose this bill.

Marie StraitonOpposePembroke, NHfor MyselfFeb 27, 2025

Let's actually fund public schools instead of creating laws that will make it harder to fund our schools.