Issue Position: Do we really want to make New Hampshire less attractive for new business and cause others to move out of state?

Issue Position

Finally, and most importantly, if the property tax is so unfair, then why do we continue to use it for education, town and county services? This question can be answered quite simply: CONTROL AND MONEY!

Our desire for "Local Control" of the schools and services requires the use of local tax revenue. Full state funding of education would lead to state (not local) control of the schools. We as a community want to make the decisions about our children's educations and their continued needs.

The property tax is not being REPEALED with the enactment of an Income Tax. Creating a new tax source does not change the need for the school districts to use property taxes to fund any shortfall from state sources. The property tax is still the number one source revenue for all schools in America.

Although some politicians have rejected the statewide property tax, every reasonable legislative funding solutions proposed this last legislative session including the statewide property tax in some form. Furthermore, Vermont (which already has an income and sales tax) just enacted a statewide property tax in the name of "Fairness". I believe a proper balance between current state revenues and the use of local and statewide property tax can be an equitable and constitutional way to fully fund education in New Hampshire.

I firmly believe that the income tax can not and will not replace the property tax but instead, will just become a new source of revenue to the state.

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