The New Hampshire House of Representatives today passed HB 1300, the Property Tax Protection Act Amendment, which would allow voters to decide by ballot whether their local school districts must adopt caps on property tax increases and administrative spending.
“This bill puts taxpayers back in control,” said Rep. Ross Berry (R-Weare), Chairman of the Election Law Committee and the bill’s prime sponsor. “For too long, procedural games at marathon town meetings have disenfranchised working families who can’t sit through a 12-hour session in a gymnasium just to protect their wallets. HB 1300 fixes that by letting the most voters possible weigh in on the spending decisions that directly impact their property tax bills.”
House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) added: “For years, big-spending school administrators have hidden behind a rigged process, packing deliberative sessions, running out the clock, and bulldozing taxpayers who dare to push back. That era is over. House Republicans have spent two years building this plan, and today we delivered. If school boards want to jack up your property taxes, they’re going to have to convince voters at the ballot box, not outlast them in a gymnasium at midnight.”
Background
The measure ensures these decisions are made through the regular ballot process rather than lengthy deliberative sessions that often see low turnout. The bill addresses a longstanding frustration among New Hampshire taxpayers: under the current system, school spending decisions are often made at sparsely attended deliberative sessions that can stretch for hours, effectively shutting out working families, seniors, and anyone unable to dedicate an entire day to the process. HB 1300 moves those critical decisions to the ballot box, where every registered voter can participate.