HB1288

Arbitrary budget caps can limit funding for essential programs, disproportionately affecting high-need schools.

Getting a 3/5 vote is too high a bar.

This is another crazy bill trying to mess up our school districts. Easier to get into than out of. It doesn't allow for unforeseen circumstances, like the state downshifting MORE costs with even less support.

School administrative units need more flexibility than this bill provides. 3/5 vote is too high a bar and too unwieldy for school districts to serve student programs.

A cap based solely on inflation leaves communities with just one option: cut programs for students. Getting a 3/5 vote is too high a bar.

Requiring a 3/5 vote to exceed a budget cap allows 40% of the voters to veto what 60% of the voters want to do. This is a bad idea.

I oppose this bill, because I don't think it is necessary. Unexpected expenses may arise, but I think that the school districts will know how to deal with them. There does not seem to be a good reason for the State of NH to get involved. This is especially hypocritical in view of the fact that the State has consistently underfunded NH education, as evidenced by the Claremont Decision. Our towns are doing their best to continue to fund education with insufficient help from the state (which seems to favor gambling on the lottery as a source of education funding). Our higher education has consistently been more expensive than other state Universities and Colleges due to state underfunding.

I am opposing this bill for the benefit of NH voters.

A cap based solely on inflation leaves communities with just one option: cut programs for students. Getting a 3/5 vote is too high a bar.”

This is a bar too high and it is the opposite of local control giving the districts the right to impose caps. The sponsors of this bill and the rest of the legislature MUST look at the root cause of the high budgets which is HEALTH INSURANCE. Start thinking about Medicare For All. This must be addressed and putting caps on budgets is the tip of the iceberg.

I'm against imposing budget caps on school districts, wherever they originate. Unforeseen expenses imposed by the state, emergencies, and/or increased health care costs will undoubtedly arise. Schools need the ability to address these budgetary needs. Overcoming a cap by a 3/5 margin is nearly impossible. Please do not approve this bill.

This bill ties the hands of school districts. While I can understand the concern with property tax increases, the reality of a cap like this is to sometimes result in school facing a financial crisis.

I oppose any sort of "budget cap" legislation from the state legislative body. This is and should remain a LOCAL issue!

Tax caps don’t work Let the voters decide.

Communities and SAUs need budgeting flexibility, especially in these volatile economic times.

NH schools don’t need yet more voucher expansion programs in our state. Further, the federal government's "scholarship organization" NH contracted with has little to no accountability due to our state nor to NH taxpayers. I have no problem with families sending their kids to private schools of their own choice. I do have a big problem with taking money out of local public schools and directing those dollars to private accounts used to offer tax credits to wealthy people.