THE ISSUE
Common Sense Property Tax Structure
No homeowner should be forced out of their home because of property taxes.
New Hampshire ranks last in the nation for state-level funding of public education, relying instead on local property taxes to cover roughly 70% of total school costs. "For wealthier communities with a strong tax base and high property values, costs are challenging but manageable. For property-poor districts that are already stretched thin, this can mean that needs go unmet." (Source: NH Center for Justice & Equity) [1, 2] State downshifting explains all of the property-tax increase over the past decade.
Action Items
Expanding and Improving Opportunities for Low and Moderate Income Homeowners and Seniors to Receive Property Tax Relief
HB 101, proposed in 2025, would have let New Hampshire towns and cities adopt a property tax exemption for elderly homeowners aged 72 and older with long-term residency. It did not pass. Seniors can still apply for existing relief, such as the Low and Moderate Income Homeowners Property Tax Relief program, which is managed through Granite Tax Connect.
My fellow candidate for the State House, Karen Burnett-Kurie has identified other ways to fund our state's needs without relying so heavily on property taxes. Some of them include:
• Reinstate the Interest and Dividends tax (3%) which we had for over 100 years and was repealed in 2025. In State Fiscal Year 2024 (which ended June 30, 2024), the State of New Hampshire collected $184.1 million (I&D) Tax revenue.
• Eliminate new (optional) programs which have been created without a ‘new’ dedicated funding source in the last five years. Constitutionally obligated programs should be fully funded before new optional programs are considered. (e.g. the Education Freedom Account voucher program will cost $60M during the 2026-27 school year.)
• Legalize marijuana and collect profits on its sale similar to our liquor stores; or tax its purchase at private dispensaries. Projections from advocacy groups like the Marijuana Policy Project estimate $6M-$16M in the first year of retail sales as the market ramps up and about $56M by year five.
• Add a tax on trust funds beyond a certain size invested in NH.
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With current structure of funding, "local governments face reduced flexibility, as more of their budgets are consumed by state-imposed obligations. Taxpayers pay more without receiving additional services, and disparities between property-poor and property-rich towns are exacerbated." - NH Municipal Association
Additional Information from Phoebe & Resources on This Issue
NH Center for Justice & Equity: School Funding Fairness: A Look at Education Funding Inequity in New Hampshire
Concord Monitor OpEd: What if we could delivery property tax relief without a sales or income tax?
NH Municipal Association: The Impact of State Downshifting on Local Property Tax Burdens in New Hampshire (2015–2025)
Carroll County District 7 Candidate: Karen Burnett-Kurie
Blog and video: Hey, Phoebe - What are your three biggest priorities?
Blog and video: Running to Run
Candidate survey: Citizens Count Survey
Candidate survey: Ballotpedia