Tax cap on education funding
As we look ahead to the November ballot, I hope our communities will take a close and thoughtful look at the proposed tax cap on education funding. On the surface, a cap may sound like a simple way to control costs. In reality, it would remove local authority over school budgets and deepen the divide between property poor and property rich communities. For cities like Laconia, this is not just a policy question — it is a direct threat to our ability to provide a strong public education for every child.
Even more concerning, the New Hampshire Attorney General has recently filed a pleading asking the courts to overturn the Claremont decision entirely. If successful, the state would no longer be required to provide any funding to communities for education. That would leave cities like Laconia facing devastating cuts in the next biennium, with no meaningful way to raise the revenue needed to maintain basic educational services.
I urge my fellow residents to look closely at what this ballot question truly means. The consequences will be felt not just by our schools, but by every taxpayer, homeowner and business in Laconia. We deserve a funding system that is fair, stable, and locally accountable — not one that ties our hands and leaves our children with less.