HB475

I oppose this bill because it could make it more difficult to recruit new staff to fill an unexpected vacancy.

This bill would automatically lower a default budget adversely effecting districts having unfilled positions due to various reasons such as a mid tdern resignation. Thee would be no money set aside to fill that position. This would have a negative effect on a number of things, including instruction and class size. How will that/those positions be funded? As a retired third grade teacher Fom Hollis Primary School, I oppose the passage of this bill.

Bill seems to attempt to block default budgets after the fact rather than working on correcting budgets before they get to the vote - this late involvement seems too late. I think this bill might tie a town's hands more than expected.

This is yet another attempt to undermine public schools by leaving the funding for open positions out of the budget. No. Why are so many NH representatives working so hard to undermine public education and its funding? An educated populace is essential to a functioning democracy. A majority of us still believe in democracy - and education.

Educating our children is the most important function of good government.

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!

I think the towns can decide this for themselves without there being a piece of legislation.

School districts in NH have a difficult time filling jobs with qualified people. This bill will only make it harder on them. Please do not undermine their efforts! This is an Elon Muskian effort to solve a problem that does not exist.

By removing the salary and benefits costs of positions that are unfilled at the time of the budget hearing, this bill would create unrealistic default budgets. Because a position is unfilled at budgeting time doesn't ensure that it is an unnecessary position. Vital staff members leave their positions throughout the year. The hiring process takes time. Removing unfilled positions from the default budget could leave school districts with vital positions for which no funding is allocated. This bill is not in the best interests of our students.

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

This would have significant effects, especially for districts that have open positions for multiple reasons, including if a staff member resigns midyear, and the district is actively hiring to fill the position.

HB613 is an unjust and illogical bill. It calls upon voters to approve lowering a default budget by removing positions that are unfilled prior to a public hearing. How thoughtless is it for legislators to encourage voters to remove positions that may be vitally important and are unfilled for demonstrable reasons. If, for example, the only math teacher in a school had resigned because of illness and that position had not been filled, a default budget would remove that position. In this way the town's school is left without a teacher of mathematics. Does this make sense? Please vote against HB613. Thank you for your consideration.

This is one more bill time at undermining public schools through drastic budget reductions.

Simply by reading the text of the bill, this comes across as yet another attempt to harm New Hampshire's school districts by drastically reducing their budget. This would automatically lower the default budget to remove positions that are unfilled prior to the public hearing. This would have significant effects, especially for districts that have open positions for multiple reasons, including if a staff member resigns mid-year and the district is actively hiring which would serve to drive away educators if they cannot receive proper pay or benefits.

I oppose this bill.

I oppose this bill. Schools are no different than any other industry and they are short of staff and always seeking. This bill would make it impossible for them to fill empty positions.

What? This makes no sense.

I am opposed to HB 475.

Oppose this bill this that would reduce the default budget by the amount of salary and benefit reductions as part of position turnover before the public hearing for the proposed budget takes place. This will artificially reduce the default budget simply because someone leaves their funded job voluntarily or retires. Schoold districts cannot be decimated by outside fringe attempts to limit access to education. Salaries for open positions have to remain in the default budget so that when the position is filled, the salary is there to pay them.

I oppose this bill. It is yet another attempt to defund public schools.

This bill will undercut our fragile public school system. It is another step toward privatization of public dollars.

I am writing to register my opposition to this bill. Thank you for your time.