The real NH Advantage
We have heard about the “NH Advantage” for many years, from many of our elected officials. It may have been started by the publisher of the Union Leader, who created “The Pledge” for budding politicians to take, disavowing any “broad-based tax.”
The reality is that we already have any number of broad-based taxes, including our hefty room and meals tax. A former Commissioner of Education told me once that “NH has chosen to pay for education at the local level.” I guess that’s true, as is the fact that our legislature, mostly led by Republican majorities, has failed to step up and provide state funding as “recommended” by various court rulings.
It seems that our only “advantage” is that we get to pay for our public schools through the highest property taxes in the country. I would not call that an “advantage,” but more like a burden that is not sustainable for those of us on fixed incomes. It’s time for our legislators and our governor to balance things out here, and have the state pick up its share — now that would be a real advantage over where things stand as of today!