Bait, switch, repeat: NH school vouchers
Now that Education Freedom Account vouchers are draining tens of millions from New Hampshire property taxpayers, it’s worth remembering how this program became law.
In February 2021, the House heard the original voucher bill, HB 20. Granite Staters responded with the largest public testimony this state had ever seen: roughly 3,200 opposed, only 600 in favor.
The bill came from the American Legislative Exchange Council, which supplies corporate-funded templates to legislators. NH Rep. Ken Weyler, a Council state chair, happened to also chair the House Finance Committee. Facing overwhelming opposition, Weyler pulled the stand-alone bill and buried it inside the state budget, House Bill 2, where the public never got another chance to weigh in. It passed on a party-line vote. Gov. Sununu signed it, saying he couldn’t veto the whole budget over one line item.
Then came the bait and switch. Vouchers were originally sold as a safety net for lower-income families. Four years later, Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed legislation wiping out the income caps entirely. A “targeted” program became a universal entitlement — even for wealthy families. Enrollment exploded, and every voucher dollar comes straight out of public education funding, pushing at least $50 million onto local property taxpayers. Classic downshifting.
Ayotte has since expanded universal vouchers even further. This isn’t about school choice. It’s a transfer of public money into private hands and taxpayers are stuck with the tab.