Tax cap reality
The Monitor headline on Thursday, Nov. 5, notes that voters in at least 16 Merrimack County school systems that approved spending limits now “begin to face tax cap reality.”
The “reality” is that, for many of these districts, staying under the tax cap will result in significant cuts in regular school spending that will have to be made because of increases in other areas that are not under the control of the district; e.g., special education costs, heating oil costs, etc.
Fortunately in Northwood, with the assistance of our SAU Superintendent, we learned that if this tax cap amendment passed, and our 26-27 budget was capped, we would have to make over $900,000 in cuts in the 27-28 budget. That’s about an 8% cut in an already lean budget.
This mobilized us to have “Vote No” signs printed and to spread the word to voters. And fortunately, the amendment failed. Other districts weren’t that fortunate.
Concord Republicans thought that this article would be a good way to boost voter turnout. And maybe it did, resulting in an even bigger “Blue Wave.” But the other impact of this article will be cuts to regular education that result with no reduction in property taxes. And Republicans will own that “tax cap reality,” too.