Overview
- Governor Kelly Ayotte signed House Bill 1300 on Wednesday, directing a statewide constitutional amendment question to appear on the 2026 and 2028 general-election ballots.
- The proposed amendment would let local districts lock property tax levies at the prior year’s level adjusted for inflation and new construction when at least 60% of local voters approve the measure.
- Districts that adopt the cap would be subject to it for two years and would face a 6% ceiling on central-office administrative spending while bonded capital costs would not count toward the cap.
- Republicans and conservative groups say the law restores voter control and reins in rising school-related property taxes, while education advocates and Democratic leaders argue it avoids the state’s role in fixing unequal school funding and could constrain services.
- Campaigns for and against the question are already forming ahead of November, and voters should watch how the vote could shift local budget choices, affect staffing and programs, and alter long-standing disparities caused by New Hampshire’s low state share of K–12 funding.