The Republican-backed House budget cuts the Education Trust Fund formula. The result would be higher local taxes, especially for property-poor rural towns with the least sway in Concord. Currently, 50 percent of business taxes go directly for education. The new proposal would cut that to 22 percent. State building aid and special education funding would have to compete every year in the general fund with every other state priority. Typically, that means no, or a very small amount of aid, even in prosperous years. Local taxpayers would have to fund the rest. Small towns with an expensive special-education student would be especially hard hit.

The goal of those backing the plan is to put public schools on the same footing as religious and private schools and homeschooling parents. The plan makes it easy for the state to cut all funding to school districts, except per-pupil adequacy. A rural school busing 100 students would get the same as an urban, church-supported school with 100 students. Local residents would pick up the remainder. Or towns could abandon their children to online school. Online schools were proven during the pandemic to lower children's achievement scores dramatically.

New Hampshire already has the lowest state spending for education in the nation, with multiple lawsuits protesting it. If this budget change becomes law, either property taxes will rise or many children will have little or no "school choice."

Jeanne Dietsch

Peterborough

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