152 local elected officials representing over 70 cities and towns and 45 different school districts around New Hampshire signed this letter calling for comprehensive school funding reform to be a priority during the ongoing state budget making process. This letter was delivered to the House Finance Committee during its public hearings for the State Budget, which was held on March 13 at 2pm. The letter was submitted exactly as depicted below.
March 13, 2023
To Governor Sununu and the General Court of New Hampshire:
Two years ago, a group of over 80 local leaders – including Mayors, City Councilors, Select Board members, and School Board members – requested that the State of New Hampshire make changes to its education funding system in order to address well-known inequities and gaps. Over the past two years, we have worked hard for our schools and communities to provide the best education possible for our students while balancing the economic realities of our taxpayers.
During that same time, the State continued to avoid its constitutional responsibility to provide adequate education to New Hampshire students. The current state budget – passed in 2021 – continued to downshift costs onto local towns and cities. The budget removed targeted property tax relief directed towards communities with lower property values and high taxes, in favor of tax cuts that benefited wealthier communities more than those with higher levels of need. Meanwhile, the State has seen years of record surplus, indicating that additional funds exist to implement these needed changes. Education funding in New Hampshire continues to be inequitable. Lawmakers have allowed for a decrease in education funding year after year, contributing to increases in property taxes across many communities throughout New Hampshire. Currently, lawmakers in Concord are working on the state budget. This is the single most significant vehicle for addressing this problem and we once again call on the New Hampshire Legislature and Governor to act.
There is a significant gap between the actual cost of education and what the State has determined to be adequate. The average cost to educate one student for a whole year is about $20,000, however the State only provides, on average, approximately $4,700 per student. Local property tax payers must make up the difference, resulting in large variability in tax rates and the quality of education provided. Communities that struggle to raise money for their schools are the communities that are forced to increase their tax rates the most. Unsurprisingly, in its final report, the Commission to Study School Funding found that the “current public school funding system should be reformed to include increased state budget funds that are directed to communities that have greater student needs, which will also result in greater taxpayer equity by reducing disproportionate burdens on poorer towns.”
As determined by numerous New Hampshire Supreme Court rulings, the State has a constitutional duty to fund public education. However, decades of inaction and cost-downshifting onto towns and cities by the State have disproportionately forced local taxpayers to pick up the tab for education. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, New Hampshire has the lowest percentage of state funding for public education of any state in the country, resulting in local property tax payers being forced to bear over 70% of the total cost of public education, far exceeding the national average of 44.5%.
The work of the Commission to Study School Funding is still fresh, yet none of the findings or suggestions of the commission have been incorporated into how our state funds education. The commission’s major findings point to a regressive education funding system that utilizes inaccurate funding models, provides fewer resources to communities with higher needs, and consequently produces lower educational outcomes for those communities. Just recently, New Hampshire received another “F” from the Education Law Center on how well it distributes state funds to schools with high levels of students experiencing poverty. The framework of solutions proposed within the commission’s final report would result in property tax relief for the vast majority of local taxpayers. The solutions would also improve outcomes for many high-need students by not only providing more education funding to almost all school districts, but by specifically aiding districts that serve students with greater needs.
It is once again the strongly held belief of those signed below that strong, well-funded public education is the most important asset for the future of New Hampshire and its citizens. With about 90% of New Hampshire children attending public schools, the lack of investment from the State not only harms local taxpayers, but also the vast majority of our children. We believe that the State of New Hampshire needs to invest in the future of this state and its students by incorporating the recommendations from the Commission to Study School Funding into the state budget process.
Addressing these inequities could finally bring the State of New Hampshire into compliance with the multitude of education funding decisions issued by the New Hampshire Supreme Court in the decades since the first Claremont ruling in 1993. The continued failure to shift the burden of public education off the shoulders of local property taxpayers has resulted in multiple on-going lawsuits against the State of New Hampshire. These lawsuits are challenging not only how much money the State pays towns and cities in adequate education funding, but also how that money is raised. Regardless of the outcomes of these lawsuits, the responsibility to address the funding disparities remains in the hands of the New Hampshire Legislature and Governor.
As with any system or structure that has been left unrepaired and unmaintained for decades, the efforts required to resolve the issues at hand will need to be substantial and intensive. But it doesn’t mean it will be harmful to the wallets of Granite Staters. Modeling done by the American Institute of Research for the Commission to Study School Funding found that if the State were to take responsibility for the bulk of education funding, “70% of towns would see a reduction in property tax rates.” The cost savings for most New Hampshire taxpayers, however, should not be the only reason for acting on this issue. These changes are necessary for the long-term success of New Hampshire’s public schools and students.
Through the current state budget process, the Legislature and Governor have an opportunity to fix these problems to ensure that students in every school district in New Hampshire have access to the best possible public education, while also providing real property tax relief to taxpayers in every corner of the state. By fulfilling its constitutional responsibility to fund education, the State will address the present economic realities and hardships faced by many of our neighbors, while investing in our students and the future of New Hampshire.
Signed,
Kris Bellerose, School Board Vice Chair, Allenstown
Andrea Campbell, School Board, Bedford
Joe Boutin, School Board Chair, Benton
Dwight Swauger, School Board, Benton
Paul Grenier, Mayor, Berlin
Diana Berthiaume, City Council, Berlin
Mark Eastman, City Council, Berlin
Peter Higbee, City Council, Berlin
Peter Morency, City Council, Berlin
Denise Morgan, City Council, Berlin
Lucie Remillard, City Council, Berlin
Robert Theberge, City Council, Berlin
Roland Theberge, City Council, Berlin
Eamon Kelley, School Board, Berlin
Nathan Morin, School Board, Berlin
Ann Nolin, School Board Chair, Berlin
Lorrie Carey, Select Board Chair, Boscawen
Jon Morgan, Select Board, Brentwood
Len Fleischer, School Board, Chesterfield
Dale Girard, Mayor, Claremont
Debora Matteau, Assistant Mayor, Claremont
Matt Mooshian, City Council, Claremont
Bob Cotton, School Board, Concord
Sarah Robinson, School Board, Concord
Jonathan Weinberg, School Board, Concord
Stacey Brown, City Council, Concord
Zandra Rice Hawkins, City Council, Concord
Evelyn Flynn, School Board, Dalton
Brenda Willis, School Board, Derry
Robert Carrier, Mayor, Dover
Dennis Shanahan, Deputy Mayor, Dover
Michelle Clancy, School Board, Dover
Micaela Demeter, School Board, Dover
Maggie Fogarty, School Board, Dover
Carolyn Mebert, School Board Chair, Dover
Jessica Rozzo, School Board Vice Chair, Dover
Robin Trefethen, School Board, Dover
Debra Hackett, City Council, Dover
Robert Hinkel, City Council, Dover
Linnea Nemeth, City Council, Dover
Lindsey Williams, City Council, Dover
Carden Welsh, Town Council, Durham
Nancy Belanger, Select Board, Exeter
Molly Cowan, Select Board Vice Chair, Exeter
Dawn Bullens, School Board Chair, Exeter Elementary
Kimberly Masucci Meyerr, School Board, Exeter Regional Cooperative
Helen Joyce, School Board Chair, Exeter Regional Cooperative
Ami Faria, Budget Committee Chair, Exeter Regional Cooperative
Jo Brown, Mayor, Franklin
Deborah Brown, School Board, Franklin
Delaney Carrier, School Board Vice Chair, Franklin
Laurie Cass, School Board, Franklin
Liz Cote, School Board, Franklin
Timothy Dow, School Board Chair, Franklin
Christie Martin, School Board, Franklin
Olivia Zink, City Council, Franklin
Kelly Boyer, Select Board Vice Chair, Goffstown
Shane Rozamus, School Board, Goffstown
Melanie Renfrew-Hebert, Budget Committee, Goffstown
Jason Giard, School Board Vice Chair, Hampstead
Megan Malcolm, School Board, Hampstead
Erin Pellegrini, School Board, Hapmstead
David Smith, School Board Chair, Hampstead
Steve Morse, Select Board Vice Chair, Hampstead
Sean Murphy, Select Board Chair, Hampstead
Laurie Warnock, Select Board, Hampstead
Maurice Worthen Jr, Select Board, Hampstead
Anthony Daniels, School Board, Haverhill
Aaron Palm, School Board, Haverhill
David Robinson, School Board Chair, Haverhill
Chris Bober, School Board Chair, Hillsboro-Deering
Michael Kenney, School Board, Hillsboro-Deering
Andrea Folsom, School Board Chair, Hopkinton
Norm Goupil, School Board, Hopkinton
Rob Nadeau, School Board Vice Chair, Hopkinton
Kenneth Traum, Select Board Vice Chair, Hopkinton
Daisy Hawlk, School Board, Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative
John McCarthy, School Board Chair, Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative
Lisa Wiley, School Board, Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative
Emma Bates, School Board, Kearsarge Regional
Bebe Casey, School Board, Kearsarge Regional
Mike Giacomo, City Council Vice Chair, Keene
Gladys Johnsen, City Council, Keene
Bobby Williams, City Council, Keene
Andrew Hosmer, Mayor, Laconia
Tony Felch, City Council, Laconia
Katrin Kasper, Select Board Vice Chair, Lee
Arthur Boutin, Select Board & School Board, Lisbon
Vincent Berk, School Board, Lyme
Jennifer Boylston, School Board Vice Chair, Lyme
Hayes Greenway, School Board, Lyme
Joyce Craig, Mayor, Manchester
Peter Argeropoulos, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Jason Bonilla, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Nicole Leapley, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Peter Perich, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Chris Potter, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Karen Soule, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Julie Turner, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Leslie Want, Board of School Committee, Manchester
Christine Fajardo, Board of Aldermen, Manchester
Patrick Long, Board of Aldermen Chair and State Representative, Manchester
Will Stewart, Board of Aldermen, Manchester
Tim Josephson, School Board Chair, Mascoma Valley Regional
Hope Stragnell, School Board, Mascoma Valley Regional
Lorrie Carey, School Board, Merrimack Valley
Seelye Longnecker, School Board Chair, Merrimack Valley
Jessica Wheeler Russell, School Board, Merrimack Valley
Laura Vincent, School Board, Merrimack Valley
Kenneth Lee Dube, Select Board, Milan
Randy Fortin, Select Board Chair, Milan
Jim Donchess, Mayor, Nashua
Lori Wilshire, Board of Aldermen President, Nashua
Regan Lamphier, Board of Education, Nashua
Janet Kidder, Select Board, New London
Dominic Halle, School Board, Newfound Area
James Burroughs, Select Board, Newport
Barry Connell, Select Board Vice Chair, Newport
Jeffrey Kessler, Select Board Chair, Newport
Keith Sayer, Select Board, Newport
Herbert Tellor, Select Board, Newport
Stacy Driscoll, School Board, Pembroke
David Doherty, Budget Committee, Pembroke
Sarah Marston Duval, School Board, Pittsfield
Matthew Pappas, School Board, Rochester
Alexander de Geofroy, City Council, Rochester
Ashley Desrochers, City Council, Rochester
Dana Hilliard, Mayor, Somersworth
David Witham, Deputy Mayor, Somersworth
Donald Austin, City Council, Somersworth
Nancie Cameron, City Council, Somersworth
Matthew Gerding, City Council, Somersworth
Robert Gibson, City Council, Somersworth
Denis Messier, City Council, Somersworth
Richard Michaud, City Council, Somersworth
Kari Clark, School Board, Somersworth
Maggie Larson, School Board Chair, Somersworth
Mark Richardson, School Board, Somersworth
Barbara Wentworth, School Board, Somersworth
Lisa Davenport, School Board Vice Chair, Stoddard
Alfrieda Englund, School Board Chair, Stoddard
Jesse Tyler, School Board Chair, Sunapee
Laura Botelho, School Board, Washington
Christine Heath, School Board Chair, Weare
William Politt, School Board, Weare
Alyssa Small, School Board, Weare
Kevin Cahill, Select Board, Weare
Stephanie Clark, School Board Vice Chair, Wentworth
Lauren Youngs, School Board Chair, Wentworth
Robert Loiacono, School Board Chair, White Mountains Regional
Kristen van Bergen-Buteau, School Board, White Mountains Regional