SB643

This is a State effort to take control of local government. This will make it harder for towns to fund essential services.

Municipalities know how to do their business. Please let them handle their own proceedings.

To: House Municipal and County Government Committee Re: Opposition to SB 643-FN Date: April 7, 2026 Dear Chairman and Members of the Committee, I write in strong opposition to SB 643-FN, which imposes new state-mandated procedural requirements on municipalities when considering whether to override locally adopted tax or spending caps. At first glance, this bill is framed as a transparency measure. In reality, it represents a state overreach into local governance, creating unnecessary mandates that undermine the very principle New Hampshire has long championed: local control. Let’s be clear about what this bill does. It requires municipalities—specifically cities and towns with elected councils—to: • Hold a public hearing at least 30 days in advance, • Guarantee a minimum 60-minute public comment period, • Conduct a roll call vote, and • Publish individual votes on property tax bills. These are not minor adjustments. They are prescriptive, one-size-fits-all mandates imposed by the state on municipalities that already operate under charters, local ordinances, and established public processes. 1. This Bill Undermines Local Control New Hampshire municipalities are not passive entities—they are governed by elected officials accountable to their residents. Many already provide public hearings, detailed budget discussions, and transparent voting records. SB 643 assumes that local governments cannot be trusted to manage their own processes. That is not transparency—it is state micromanagement. If a community wants stricter procedures, they already have the authority to adopt them locally. That is how local control is supposed to work. 2. It Politicizes Routine Governance Requiring that individual votes be printed on property tax bills is not about transparency—it is about public shaming and political pressure. This provision risks turning routine fiscal decisions into political theater, discouraging thoughtful, good-faith deliberation. Municipal officials should be encouraged to make responsible decisions—not pressured into performative ones out of fear of backlash. 3. It Creates Unnecessary Administrative Burdens Even with a modest fiscal note, this bill imposes new administrative steps, timelines, and compliance requirements. For smaller municipalities especially, these mandates add complexity without delivering meaningful improvements in governance. Time and resources spent complying with rigid state procedures are time and resources diverted from serving residents. 4. It Solves a Problem That Doesn’t Exist There is no demonstrated statewide failure of transparency that justifies this level of intervention. Municipal budget processes are already among the most open and participatory in government. This bill creates a solution in search of a problem—and in doing so, risks eroding trust in local institutions rather than strengthening it. A Better Principle: Trust Local Government If we truly believe in fiscal responsibility, accountability, and transparency, then we must also believe in empowering local voters and local officials—not overriding them from Concord. SB 643 moves us in the wrong direction. It substitutes state mandates for local judgment, and in doing so, weakens the very system it claims to improve. For these reasons, I respectfully urge the Committee to recommend ITL (Inexpedient to Legislate) on SB 643-FN. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued commitment to protecting local control in New Hampshire.

I oppose SB 643 because it is a direct assault on the tradition of local control in New Hampshire. By restricting how towns can fund their own essential services, this bill strips power away from the voters who actually live in the community and understand its unique needs. Decisions about our local infrastructure and safety should be made at our own Town Meetings, not by a one-size-fits-all mandate from Concord. OPPOSE SB 643. Thank you

One parent should not decide for all kids what they are or are not allowed to read.

This bill is another attempt to add chaos to local government proceedings. It would interfere with the balance that small New Hampshire towns have operated under for generations. Respectfully, Rep. Janet Lucas Grafton Co. District 7