Let’s talk about property taxes, education funding, public services and tax caps.

Some facts and beliefs:

1. Everyone despises paying property tax, but for the most part, still subscribe to the adage that two things will always be a reality: death and taxes.

2.  We all — well almost all — strongly support our fire departments, police departments, transportation services, FAST squads and even public education, all funded through taxes.  Unfortunately, in New Hampshire, that is primarily property tax.

3.  In most cases, the local education property tax is the most onerous.

4.  It is true that generational families — primarily farm families — are being forced to sell their property.  Actually, everyone in the working and middle classes are severely impacted.

5.  It (the education property tax) is unfair and disproportionate, inadequate and regressive. Currently, as implemented, it is unconstitutional as determined by numerous courts over numerous decades.

6. The State Legislature has utterly failed to institute court-ordered reforms that would substantially increase the state support for public education and sharply reduce the local property tax.

7.  The governor’s office has provided no leadership in solving these issues.

8. Property taxes affect all of us, including renters, because rent is increased to pay the taxes landlords owe.

Repairing these inequities while supporting necessary services:

1. This starts with public policy changes in Concord, not your local town board or school board.  I can assure you they feel the pain also and struggle to find equity for all, while they are acutely aware of a decline in public services.

2. Supporting a cap on taxes will not solve anything, only exacerbate the decline in public education and local necessary public services.

3. Individuals have power through their votes.  Vote for individuals who will work to change public policy, starting with the court-ordered substantial increase in State Adequacy funding for education.  Property taxes immediately decline.

4. The revenue is still needed. There are many alternatives to implementing a dedicated revenue source or sources to do this.  Other states have taken this on and it doesn’t always require a broad-based tax.

5.  Others have implemented dedicated rooms and meals assessments, millionaire and billionaire surcharges, business assessments, second home surcharges and more.  All come with pluses and minuses, but none as horrendous as the property tax. It originally was designed as a tax on the wealthy back in 1634, because it was primarily the wealthy who were the property owners. It was never intended to be a yoke on the backs of the working and middle classes.

Solution:

1. Vote no to caps on the property tax.

2. Vote for state representatives and state senators who will implement the Claremont Decision and the court orders since then to adequately fund public education.

3. Elect a governor who will fight for you to pass the public policy changes necessary.

4. Elect federal senators and representatives who will fight to fully fund existing federal special education legislation.

Your property taxes will go down.  We the people can do this.

Frank S. Perotti Jr., Ed.D., is a recently retired school superintendent who has served the communities of Plainfield, Cornish, Croydon and Lyme over the last decade.