HB613

I oppose this bill because I fear it could lead to cuts in school budgets which are already underfunded.

I oppose this bill because setting a lower default budget would negatively impact schools and students. I work in public education and see the need for adequate funding. Cutting already tight budgets would severely limit educational opportunities, access for students.

this bill could result in unnecessary and undesired cuts in school budgets.

If this bill passes and ad default budget succeeds, it would not adequately cover the needs of the school and it's students. I am in opposition to this bill.

Again, these bills are playing to voter fear of tax increases vs. educating a voter with the context. The impacts cannot be clearly understood with solely a percentage impact.

Yet another bill that attempts to undercut funding for public schools. New Hampshire residents deserve better than this. No.

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

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

Please stop giving local school boards the power NOT to fund an adequate education!

This bill creates a scenario where carefully considered budgets would be subject to arbitrary cuts that are not in the best interests of students and their communities. Both the proposed budget and the default budget that are presented to voters are carefully considered. The reduced default budget is a mere slashing by 1-10% and would require school districts to cut programs and services so they can cover mandatory costs like operating the building and student transportation. Since this bill requires that the percentage slashed from the default budget can only be set between 15-30 days before a town votes on the school district budget, there is no time to carefully consider the effects of such a cut. The way to affect the school district budget is to get involved in the process, not to make an end run on all of the hard work that goes into creating the proposed and default budgets.

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

School districts MUST remain non-partisan!!!!

This bill creates a dangerous scenario that pits community members against each other, and require school boards and administrators to create school budgets that don't adequately cover student and school needs.

This bill manipulates voters by using their very real financial challenges as a weapon to weaken the very schools and community services upon which they rely. Should a financially stressed taxpayer stretch to support public schools and other community services they use and appreciate or place personal considerations foremost and vote for a default budget that forces their own public schools to cut essential school needs? HB 613 is aimed at the most selfish human instincts instead of calling upon citizens to consider what is best for themselves and their communities. Please vote against HB 613 and consider urging NH citizens to be the best that we can be for ourselves and for each other. Thank you.

This bill would allow districts and towns to adopt a "reduced default budget" option that lowers the default budget and makes it the default. Voters would be left with only two options: the proposed budget or the default budget, yet allow the default budget to take affect anyway if both are voted down. This means that by default, schools would be forced to cut important programs and services for their students to cover mandatory costs to operate their buildings, transport students, etc. This would create a dangerous scenario that pits community members against one another, and would require school boards and administrators to create school budgets that don’t adequately cover student and school needs.

I oppose this bill.

I oppose this bill. There is already a system in place that works and this undermines that system and could leave our schools without adequate funding.

Public schools need to be strengthened not destroyed.

No reduced default budget option.

I am opposed to HB 613.

This is just another way for extreme politicians to try and cut school budgets. Don’t hurt our students’ education by creating this new budget slashing tool.

This is yet another attempt to slash public school budgets. I oppose this bill.