When Town Meeting season rolls around each year in New Hampshire, much of voters’ attention is drawn to school budgets. In many communities, school taxes make up the largest share of property tax bills, often far outpacing municipal expenses.School.
GRANTHAM When Dorothy Sears started third grade at Grantham Village School six years ago, she was disappointed by the elementary school’s playground.“After a certain age group, nobody really used it,” said Sears, now a freshman at Lebanon High.
Grantham voters reject playground renovation
Published: 3/9/2021 9:52:43 PM
Modified: 3/9/2021 10:50:32 PM
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GRANTHAM Voters passed a school budget but turned back a proposal for playground renovations during the first part of Town Meeting Tuesday.
The $10.3 million school budget, which is a 3.2% increase from the previous year’s budget, passed in a 283-79 vote.
For two three-year seats on the School Board, voters elected Lesley Nesbitt (253 votes) and Edward Upson (208). They beat out Christopher Barrett (117) and Tanya McIntire (50).
Voters defeated the major article on the school ballot this year, which asked for $500,000 to renovate the Grantham Village School Playground. The article needed 60% approval to pass but failed with only 198 votes in favor and 170 against.
Town Meeting preview: Grantham splits voting between March and May
Published: 2/26/2021 9:57:30 PM
Modified: 3/3/2021 7:38:03 PM
Hot topic: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, voting on Grantham candidates, as well as the school budget and articles, will be held by Australian ballot on Tuesday, March 9. Voting on the town budget and municipal warrant articles has been postponed until May, when officials plan to hold a Town Meeting with a floor vote outside.
Budget: On the school side, voters will be asked to approve a $10.3 million operating budget, which is around a 3.2% increase from the 2020-21 school year. If the budget and all articles are approved, the tax rate would increase by 39 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, or an additional $98 for the owner of a $250,000 home.
Lebanon buys into lobbying effort against ‘donor town’ school funding model
Modified: 2/5/2021 6:45:27 PM
LEBANON Lebanon will join the fight against efforts to return New Hampshire to a “donor town” system of education funding that saw property-rich communities send tax dollars to those struggling to pay for schools.
The City Council voted 8-0 Wednesday night to join the Coalition Communities 2.0, a group of towns and cities that plan to hire a lobbyist to advocate for its interests in Concord.
The coalition, led by the Seacoast city of Portsmouth, hopes to solicit 50 members to help pay for an estimated $120,000-a-year lobbying effort. Lebanon’s share is estimated at nearly $4,200.