One of the many actions of this administration that saddened me was the demolition of the East Wing of the White House…a piece of our nation’s history that can never be replaced. Now the Trump administration is moving ahead with another destructive act: rescinding the Roadless Rule, which could open protected areas of the White Mountain National Forest to logging and other industrial development.

Emergency lights are flashing as just this week the Trump administration moved to roll back the Roadless Rule, which has blocked road construction and most logging and mining on tens of millions of acres of national forest land.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins apparently took a hard look at our nation’s pristine forests and thought, “You know what these undisturbed forests need? Roads, mining, and more opportunities for well-connected businesses to make some serious bucks.”

Consider what recently happened at Big Bend National Park in Texas. Contractors bulldozed through sensitive areas of the park for new patrol roads and vehicle barriers before the work was temporarily suspended amid bipartisan outrage from environmentalists, local businesses, elected officials, and others. Lawsuits have been filed seeking to stop the project.

If that can happen at Big Bend, the possibility of rolling back the Roadless Rule should scare the daylights out of every New Hampshire resident who loves this state.

If the Roadless Rule is rescinded, roughly 235,000 acres of roadless land in the White Mountain National Forest could lose protections that have helped keep these areas wild and largely free from roads and industrial development.

Many of us came to New Hampshire for its extraordinary natural beauty and outdoor recreation. I moved here nearly 35 years ago, reluctantly, to marry a man who deeply loved the White Mountains.

Jonathan and I hiked all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers together; our dogs Bear and Cody got their certificate for hiking them all as well. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the mountains and with New Hampshire. Today, I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Protecting the White Mountain National Forest isn’t just about protecting something beautiful. It matters enormously to New Hampshire’s economy. About 6 million people visit the forest every year. They hike, camp, fish, ski, and they spend money. They stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and shop in our stores. Outdoor recreation brings about $4 billion a year into New Hampshire’s economy and supports some 30,000 jobs.

Communities such as Bartlett, North Conway, Conway, Lincoln and Gorham depend heavily on those visitors, whose spending extends far beyond the boundaries of the national forest and benefits communities throughout the state.

For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has protected nearly 60 million acres of national forest land from road building and most logging. Undoing it could do real damage. Roads cut through wildlife habitat, disrupt migration routes and create opportunities for invasive species to take hold. Once that damage is done, it isn’t easily undone.

There are environmental consequences as well. These forests store carbon and protect the watersheds that provide us with clean water. Start cutting roads through them, and you increase erosion, fragment wildlife habitat, and put the streams and rivers flowing from these forests at risk.

President Trump, the White Mountain National Forest, like every national forest in this country, is not your personal property to carve up for the benefit of your business cronies.

Public comment on this proposed change is open through September 21, 2026. Please don’t sit this one out. Submit a comment and contact Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan and Representatives Maggie Goodlander and Chris Pappas. Let them know that New Hampshire expects them to strongly oppose any effort to strip these protections from our national forests.

Contact Maggie Goodlander

Contact Chris Pappas

Contact Maggie Hassan

Contact Jeanne Shaheen

“Terrible things are happening outside. Families are torn apart; men, women and children are separated. Children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared. . . Everyone is scared.”
~Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Wait. What? Is this a description of what is currently happening all over America, now just recently right here in Keene, New Hampshire?

Nope.

These were horrific events taking place in 1940’s Netherlands, described by a young Jewish girl kept hidden along with her family in Amsterdam, which was then occupied by the Germans. This genocide became known as the “Holocaust,” Adolf Hitler's attempt to exterminate an entire race.

Genocide: the deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race.

Holocaust: destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially caused by fire or nuclear war.

During that terrible time in global history, there were people who saw and knew what was happening to their fellow human beings was wrong, evil. These brave folks took action by assisting those being persecuted by hiding them or getting them out of the country, knowing it was not safe for themselves to do so. 

We have seen such acts of bravery here, in our own country. Human beings assisting fellow human beings, knowing it was not safe for themselves to do so. The Underground Railroad comes to mind. . .

Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, human beings were abducted from the African continent by slave ships to be brought to the “New World,” sold as “merchandise,” thus becoming the “property” of their white master. 

Of course, this was IF they survived crossing the ocean, a harrowing trip which could last anywhere from two to four months. Chained together and tightly packed in belowdecks, many died from malnutrition, murder, suffocation or suicide. An estimated 2.2 million Africans died during these horrific trips.

The “Underground Railroad” was created during the early to mid-1800’s and was a system of safe houses and hidden travel routes utilized by Black slaves escaping to free states in the north or to Canada. Other routes went into Mexico, where human bondage had already been abolished. By 1850, it is estimated about 100,000 human beings escaped their life of slavery through the Underground Railroad. 

Besides John Brown, Levi Coffin and Frederick Douglass, the most famous “conductor” was Harriet Tubman, who was so successful she became known as “Moses,” a name given to her by abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. It also led to a $40,000 reward posted for her capture, dead or alive.

And we are now seeing similar situations happening here in America. Immigrants to our country, some seeking legal asylum, others on work or school visas are now reduced to living in fear for their lives. Even those who were born here, whose families have lived here for generations, are being targeted.

This has all been planned in Project 2025, laid out in the chapter on immigration.

This past week in Keene, ICE came in and snatched a young man from Equador. He has a wife, three young children, a job and is here legally. Understandably, there is uncertainty and fear amongst the immigrant community because “Terrible things are happening outside.” NH activists warn of increased ICE activity in state | New Hampshire Public Radio

Earlier this year, people spoke up against the proposed ICE detention center in Merrimack and residents in Keene have been peacefully protesting the “disappearing” of valued members of our community. Embarrassingly, as of mid‑2026, NH is the only New England state that has local law enforcement agencies participating in the task force model of ICE’s 287(g) program, authorizing municipal and state police and county sheriffs to carry out certain immigration enforcement duties alongside ICE. 

While the current regime and Free Staters in the NH legislature have been successful in getting rid of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) mandates, it is the bravery of individuals and organized groups who continue to speak up and protect those who seek only safety and opportunity in the United States. Let’s grow that group of people.

The following are quotes from Native Americans in response to their land being forcefully taken by white European IMMIGRANTS.

“How smooth must be the language of the whites, when they can make right look like wrong, and wrong like right.” Black Hawk, Sauk

“Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught, only then you will find that money cannot be eaten.” Cree Indian Prophecy

“They made us many promises, more than I can remember, but they never kept but one; they promised to take our land, and they took it.” Chief Red Cloud, Oglala Lakota

Did you know the fossil fuel industry spends approximately $250 million per year lobbying elected officials. A huge majority of this money goes to Republican officials and candidates. Look it up.

Did you know the federal government spends up to $35 billion annually on handouts to the fossil fuel industry. These perks include not just special tax breaks, but deductions, cheap access to drilling on public lands and regulatory loopholes. It took less than ten years for that amount to more than double, from $17 million. 

In the meantime, the planet struggles to survive as some of us wonder how current and future generations themselves will survive? Try as we might to get money out of our politics, we can’t even get climate candidates elected to address this immediate issue!

In early 2025 the current regime instructed a half-dozen federal agencies to come up with plans to derail the nation’s offshore wind industry, intensifying their attack on a source of renewable energy. The regime got rid of Pres. Biden’s funding that supported clean energy projects, repealed policy supporting climate-related regulation and put a stop to wind energy developments. In Aug. 2025, the Dept. of Defense stopped signing agreements or communicating with developers, freezing pending projects at differing stages of review. 

In the meantime, the regime lifted barriers to coal mining, gave two years of regulatory relief to coal-fired power plants and other polluting industries, opening millions of acres of federal lands for mining and dedicating millions of dollars to these coal plants.

This, despite the fact that globally, solar and wind power generation outpaced electricity demand in 2025 and for the first time on record, renewable energies combined, generated more power than coal. Wind power grew by 7.7% with solar power experiencing a record 31% growth in the first half of 2025.

As of June, 2026, 67% of Americans feel the US should prioritize developing alternative energy sources, such as wind, solar, and hydrogen technology. Ninety-three percent say clean energy is important to the country’s energy future, 63% support the goal of the country becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Eighty-three percent of Americans support solar energy, down from 91% in 2013, 70% support wind energy. 

Here in New Hampshire, we have witnessed time and again proposed legislation by Democrats for wind and/or solar energy, whether it’s to study the benefits of or to advance it’s use with the added benefit of rebates, repeatedly get voted down. The majority Do Not Want Renewables!

Last month, the District of Columbia along with 18 states, filed to intervene in a lawsuit against the Dept. of Defense that was originally brought by wind industry companies, claiming the government froze all new wind projects by refusing to conduct routine national security reviews. This shutdown has stopped over 155 onshore wind projects, according to the American Clean Power Association. Added to the lawsuit were the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.

Notice one state in particular that’s missing from this list?

That’s right! Because the majority in NH Do Not Want Renewables!

The planet will not save itself, it’s up to us. We can begin that process by voting in next months primary on Sept. 8th and then again on Nov. 3rd. Let’s elect climate and renewable energy candidate advocates and put a stop to the backward thinking of the majority party, here in NH and in Washington, DC!

“I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy! What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that!”  Thomas Edison

Tom knew what he was talking about.  

Since being installed back into the Oval Office, the current regime has seen fit to cut one federal agency after another under the guise of “streamlining” the federal government and cutting back on “waste.” A year and a half later, where have those cuts gotten us and the world?

US Agency for International Development: (USAID) resulted in HIV clinics in South Africa closing, medical programs in Afghanistan ending, with many worldwide programs addressing preventable diseases and malnutrition ending. This leaves at least 23 million children losing access to education, up to 95 million people losing access to basic healthcare, likely leading to over 3 million preventable deaths annually. 

For example, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 70% of humanitarian assistance is now gone, worsening food insecurity, displacement, and outbreaks of cholera and Ebola. In Ethiopia’s Gambella refugee camp, half of a clean water project’s budget is now gone.

Department of Education: Budget cuts shrink staff, increases class sizes, decreases enrichment programs and limits or cuts supplies for basic operations. How many of us know educators who have to bring in their own basic class room supplies? Here in NH, the Free Staters vote to NOT feed children from low-income households a school lunch. Funding cuts can delay building maintenance, leading to unsafe or unhealthy learning environments.

National Science Foundation: Beginning in April 2025, NSF had canceled more than 1,500 grants and contracts, which totaled over $1 billion in research funding. By Nov. 2025, the regime had frozen or stopped over 1,300 NSF grants, amounting to about $700 million in unspent funds. There was a sharp drop in the amount of new grants awarded, from 11,000 in 2024 to roughly 8,800 in 2025. 

Not surprisingly, areas such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), environmental protection and public health initiatives were all targeted. 

AmeriCorps: (Formerly known as the Corp. for National and Community Service). In April, 2025, nearly $400 million in grants were withdrawn from AmeriCorps grantees, affecting over 1,000 nonprofit and civic organizations that hosted AmeriCorps members and Seniors volunteers www.serviceyearalliance.org. Most federal AmeriCorps staff were placed on administrative leave, others were later terminated and many of the programs were ordered to immediately stop, including the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). This affected 745 active members, ending 80 service projects across 67 sponsor organizations. 

These are just a few examples, there’s more who experienced cuts; Office of Management and Budget (OMB); Peace Corps; Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

During that same time period, there was only one federal agency to increase its workforce by 0.4%. The Dept. of Homeland Security.
Surprised? I’m not.

So, what impacts have all these cuts to federal agencies (such as the ones listed above) done for New Hampshire residents? 

As of June 2026, the average household in NH has had to spend $4,400+ more on goods and services under the current regime. According to the Joint Economic Committee:
~NH families spent $1,108 more on housing costs such as rent and mortgage payments.
~ We’ve paid $310 more for groceries in 2025 and are now more than 4% higher. Beef (ground) has risen almost every month to a record high of more than $7 per pound. The price of coffee is now nearly $10 per pound.
~ Due to the illegal war in Iran, gas prices have soared, resulting in people across NH spending $316 million more at the pumps. The average NH family has now spent $596 more on gas. 
~Families in NH paid $140 more for electricity in 2025 than they did in 2024, with that number expected to only rise. 
~NH families paid $205 more to heat their homes with oil this past March compared to last year.
~ The Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax cuts help people afford their health insurance. But now, due to Republicans’ refusal to extend these monthly premiums, plans rose over 50% on average in 2026 compared to 2025. Meanwhile, deductibles jumped to record highs, increasing by more than $1,000 on average.

Add to that the crushing increases in property taxes brought on by the Free Staters who have repealed nearly every source of state revenue in sight in order to make their wet dream of little or no government an unsustainable reality. 

How do we turn this around? How do we take back our state, our local government, our public schools and libraries?

First, identify them (list on 2nd page). 

Second, vote them OUT on Nov. 3rd! Try as they might to suppress our basic right to vote, we all need to vote or be outvoted!

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe

Subterfuge: deceit used in order to achieve one’s goal.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. We’ve all heard the phrase, “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Now we can add, “Beware of Free Staters in Democrat clothing.”

There are eight of them running for a House seat and one running for the Senate in the Sept. 8th primary.
Ready? Here we go.

Aria Demezzo- Keene’s Ward 5, Cheshire District 3. Founder of the Reformed Satanic Church of Keene, sentenced in 2023 to 18 months in prison for operating a money transmitting business without a license.

C. Riley Blake- Keene’s Ward 4, Cheshire Dist. 4. The "Shire Free Church" is the same address as his home address (scroll all the way down). The treasurer is Bonnie Freeman, relative(?) of Ian Freeman.

Robert Daniel- Manchester’s Ward 4, Hills. Dist. 24. Responded to the Citizens Count questionnaire.

Derek Verbugge- Manchester’s Ward 5, Hills. Dist. 25. No response to the Citizens Count questionnaire.

Mark Grigoriev- Manchester’s Ward 7, Hills. Dist. 26. No response to the Citizens Count questionnaire.

Josh Holmes- Manchester’s Wards 1, 3, 10, 11 and12. Hills. Dist. 40. No response to the Citizens Count questionnaire. Same person who ran as a Republican? You be the judge.

Rebecca Smith- Manchester’s Wards 2, 4, 5 and 7. Hills. Dist. 41. She last ran in 2024 and lost in the primary. No response to the Citizens Count questionnaire.

Gabe Holdren- Pembroke, Merrimack Dist. 12. Home and business addresses are the same. No response to the Citizens Count questionnaire.

Matthew Ping- Manchester, Senate Dist. 20. Ping moved to Manchester in 2012, runs Porcupine Real Estate, the porcupine being the Free Stater mascot and is Treasurer of the NH Blockchain Council (Bitcoin). He has responded to the Citizens Count questionnaire. His wife Brittany, a Republican, ran unsuccessfully for the same Senate seat two years ago and is currently running for a seat in the House for Manchester’s Ward 11.

There is nothing like a little subterfuge to take a person’s vote away,  even in a roundabout manner. Many thanks to Sebastian Fuentes at NH Rights & Democracy for putting this list of “Free Staters in Democrat clothing” together. Now, more than ever, it is critical to know who is looking for your vote. How to identify candidates who support the Free State agenda.

“No one would be trying to take your vote away from you with this level of intensity if they didn’t understand how important you vote is, how powerful it makes you.”  
Joyce Vance, American lawyer and legal analyst

The term "Democratic Socialism" is often accredited to the early 20th-century socialist and political theorist Eduard Bernstein, who sought to bring socialism and democracy together. The term gained importance in the mid-20th century through its use by various political parties and movements in America and Europe by stressing the pursuit of socialist goals through democratic means rather than revolutionary change.

A good example is Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, with Social Security, federal housing initiatives and farm supports, other historical examples where government created public systems that  stabilizes livelihoods and redistributes risk. Public education and libraries, minimum wage laws, Medicare and Medicaid are also examples of democratic socialism. Your house is on fire, who do you call? The neighborhood bucket brigade or your local fire department? Another example of democratic socialism. 

Democratic socialists believe in having a substantial social safety net within the confines of democracy. The movement is best explained as a set of policy goals, focusing on securing universal healthcare, higher taxes on the wealthy and stricter corporate regulation. 

Democratic socialism expands opportunities for everyone, such as:
Democratic Process – Our multi-party elections, free speech and civil liberties are protected. We, the People choose our leaders.
Markets – Markets exist, but when fairness, stability, worker safety and community well-being is in peril, government steps in. (Think Environmental Protection Agency, Transportation Security Administration, Food & Drug Administration, etc.)
Protected Freedoms – Civil rights and freedoms are protected by law, beginning with The Bill of Rights. The Constitution of the United States.
A Fairer, More Equal Society – The goal is to reduce inequality while ensuring basic needs for all (healthcare, education, housing, etc.)

With upcoming elections right around the corner, it might be worth a few minutes of your time to meet and ask questions of those who seek your vote. Are you looking for a representative who shares your concerns and values? How to tell? You can find some good suggestions and questions here.

Donald Trump recently referred to Democrats as “hard core, godless Communists” at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s 2026 policy conference. This is a values based response to that comment:

Be sure to vote on Sept. 8th and Nov. 3rd!

Koch Industries was founded in 1940 by Fred Koch and is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. It is one of the largest privately held companies in the world. And nearly one hundred years later wields much political power, thanks in large part to Americans for Prosperity (AFP). This is a politically conservative, libertarian advocacy group founded in 2004 and allied with Charles Koch and his (now deceased) brother David Koch, of Koch Industries. 

AFP has been seen as one of the most influential conservative organizations in America. AFP was instrumental in securing the Republican majority in the Congress in 2010 and again for the Senate in 2014. AFP has chapters in 36 states and yes, NH is one of them. 

The State Director of AFP and AFP Foundation in New Hampshire is  Greg Moore, who advocates on behalf of over 29,000 AFP members to federal, state and local governments. He previously served as the Chief of Staff for the NH House of Representatives (2011-12), where he worked directly for the Speaker of the House to implement an agenda which included passing the largest budget reduction in state history, many business tax and fee reductions, a Medicaid managed care law and tough welfare reform requirements. Before that, he served as House Policy Director.

The founder of the “Free State Project” (FSP) is Texas born Jason Sorens, who lives in Amherst. In 2001, he organized a migration to NH of 20,000 Libertarians, anarchists, anarcho-capitalists, pacifists, even some like-minded Democrats and Republicans. There are currently a little over 6,000.
Sorens previously lectured in the Dept. of Government at Dartmouth College, was director of the Center for Ethics in Society at St. Anselm College and is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, a conservative libertarian think-tank in Massachusetts. 

Free Stater House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, who moved to NH in 2010 from Defiance, Ohio, looks to be quite involved with the AFP group. Tonight, July 22nd in Derry, he and Moore will be guest speakers “for an in-depth look at why healthcare costs continue to rise in the Granite State, making care less affordable for families, small businesses, and taxpayers.” AFP-NH will pay for your dinner and a drink! 

Can’t make tonight? Perhaps, you’re more interested in why NH has some of the highest energy costs in New England. On Aug. 5th join the same speakers in Manchester, again with dinner and a drink on AFP-NH. Somehow, I don’t think the topic of renewable energy bills the Free State majority in the House consistently voted down will make the discussion list. However, their panel will focus on practical solutions the NH Legislature can implement right now, such as cutting red tape on infrastructure projects.

Uh-oh!

Could that mean data centers? 

The proposed data center for Nottingham was withdrawn after much public outcry. In rapid response to that, AFP-NH held a public discussion last month featuring the “pros and cons” about these centers. One of the panelists was Drew Cline, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy in Concord, an arm of The Heritage Foundation (Project 2025). He stated the best path forward is through the legislative process rather than outright bans on data centers. 

He may be right, but this is not the correct legislature to do so!

And just look who AFP endorsed for the Senate seat to be vacated by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen! His dad, as Chief of Staff to Pres. George H.W. Bush singlehandedly steered him AWAY from renewables and clean energy! Setting the country back and further into fossil fuels. And his brother James is chair for the Josiah Bartlett Center.

Should we expect more of the same from John E.?

NH is not your “Free State Project”! | DemocracyNH

No Conflict Here. Or is there . . .? | DemocracyNH

Signs of Springtime | DemocracyNH

Rep. Bobbi Boudman won a seat in the State House this past March in a special election to replace former Rep. Glenn Cordelli who moved out of state. Boudman represents the towns of Ossipee, Tuftonboro and Wolfeboro and is now seeking a seat in the State Senate. 

Free Stater Jason Osborne has been relentlessly behind regressive legislation that has hurt the average New Hampshire resident. From young families struggling to find and afford a home and/or child care, to putting the lives and safety of young women of childbearing age in jeopardy, to repealing over a billion dollars worth of state revenue sources, to slowly chipping away at local control, to making it harder for educators to do their jobs, to making it harder for some residents to vote, to pushing the unconstitutional school voucher program. I could go on, but you get the idea. 

Sounds like a one man wrecking ball, but he's had help along the way.

Osborne decided to take his “bait and switch” message to the voters, blaming the Democrats for high property taxes. He recently chose to go to Ossipee, a town where newly elected Boudman represents and was in attendance. 

Didn’t go well for him and he ended up “postponing it”. You can see the clip here.

Kudos to Rep. Boudman! She’ll be missed in the House, but warmly welcomed in the Senate. Please make sure she gets there and while we’re all at it, (voting that is) let’s show the Free Staters the door! 

A reminder, not only is NH slowly losing local control to a group who wants to “take over the state government” (Jason Sorens, Free State founder) but they are slashing and burning everything that makes NH a great and welcoming state. Wake up, before all that’s left are ashes.

Words are very powerful. They can elicit strong feelings or emotions, bring about humor or sadness. Words can result in agreements, information or entertainment. Words can also be used to manipulate others.

Take for example the words “choose” or “choice.” 
Choose: to select freely and after consideration
Choice: an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities

During my first term as a State Representative, I heard the words “choose” and “choice” thrown around the chamber from Free Staters when they were speaking about particular bills that were up for a House vote. “Choice” was good for gun owners but not for young women of child-bearing age. “Choice” was good for parents who wanted to send their children to private, religious schools paid for by taxpayers but not for parents of transgender children pursuing medical care for them. Republicans “chose” to not fund free or reduced school lunches for children of low-income families.

You get the idea.

Which brings us to HB 1268, a home schooling bill sponsored by Rep. Kristin Noble, who thinks schools should be segregated, ended up having a few non-germane amendments attached to it. The original bill permitted homeschooling parents to “choose” whether they wanted to let the state or their school district know they were doing this. Yearly evaluations? Not anymore. Additionally, parents can now “choose” to retain educational materials and records for at least two years. 

Or not.

However, the amendments have NOTHING to do with the original bill, it’s just something the Free State co-sponsors wanted. 
The amendments: Requires written agreement to be formed between pharmacy benefits managers and health carriers before benefits managers can operate.
Amends pharmacy benefits manager reporting and examination requirements.
Raises the value of the maximum administrative fine that can be levied for violations of the state's pharmacy benefits manger laws.

What does ANY of that have to do with homeschooling?

Nothing . . .

To see how your representative voted click here, scroll down to “Roll Calls” then click on OTPA.

On July 10th, Gov. Ayotte signed HB 1268 into law. School vouchers going to families who homeschool their kids but now will have no oversight. And the goal to destroy public education marches on, in many different ways.

Fun fact #1: under Republican control, New Hampshire ranks 48th in per-person state aid to cities and towns while property taxes continue to rise above inflation nearly every year.

Fun fact #2: for more than 15 years, Republicans have enacted numerous new laws shifting the burden of funding state government onto property taxpayers.

Sick of it? Tired of being “misrepresented” in Concord? Then do something about it on Nov. 3rd.

Recently, Keene City Councilor and State Representative Phil Jones submitted to the city and the state of New Hampshire a resolution “requesting termination of state of New Hampshire policies and downshifts that burden local property taxpayers.”

Perhaps other city and town governments could do something similar as we work towards easing that unsustainable position we have all been placed in. The full text is as follows:

“In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty Six

A RESOLUTION REQUESTING TERMINATION OF STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE POLICIES AND DOWNSHIFTS THAT BURDEN LOCAL PROPERTY TAXPAYERS.

Resolved by the City Council of the City of Keene, as follows:

WHEREAS, Recent New Hampshire state budgets have reduced or eliminated key revenue sources, forcing the City of Keene along with other municipalities, school districts, and counties to raise property taxes to maintain education, healthcare, county nursing homes, public safety, and infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, the erosion and unpredictability of state funding to municipalities has further shifted financial responsibility to local governments, increasing reliance on property taxes to sustain essential programs and services; and

WHEREAS, the State created a statewide retirement system intended to support municipal, county, school, police, and fire employees and slowly reduced its share of contributions, resulting in more than a million dollars a year in additional costs to the City. (total additional costs of approximately $13 million);

WHEREAS, the State created a broader revenue sharing program in 1969 to return a portion of state revenue back to municipalities as a result of the elimination of towns’ and cities’ ability to tax part of the agricultural economy. The City of Keene in 2008 had been receiving approximately $992,000 per year; this was reduced by the State in 2010 to $550,000 and subsequently eliminated. (To date, the City has lost approximately $15.8 million as a result of this change.);

WHEREAS, The Meals and Rooms Tax, was enacted in 1967 as a statewide tax tied to tourism and economic activity. At the time, the intent was for the State to retain 60% of the revenue and distribute 40% to municipalities, recognizing that local roads, infrastructure, police and fire protection, utilities, and other municipal services support tourism and economic development. Over time, the State reduced the municipal share, and although a 1993 catch-up formula was created to work back toward the 60/40 split, that formula was later suspended repeatedly. As a result, communities have received substantially less than the original 40% municipal share contemplated under the original framework. Based on historical distribution percentages since 2001 – all below 30% - the City estimates Keene has received approximately $15-$20 million less than it would have under the original 40% formula. At current distribution levels, the annual difference for Keene is estimated at approximately $700,000 per year.

WHEREAS, these downshifts burden working families, strain local budgets, limit flexibility and undermine long-term community prosperity; and

WHEREAS, a state budget that prevents cost-shifting and restores municipal revenue-sharing eases the tax burden on local property taxpayers and strengthens communities.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KEENE, AS FOLLOWS: We the governing body of the City of Keene call upon Governor Kelly Ayotte, the State of New Hampshire Executive Council, and the New Hampshire State Senate and House of Representatives to protect local tax payers by ensuring adequate state revenues for essential services, and by avoiding policies that downshift costs onto local property taxpayers.”

Thank you, Rep. Jones!

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have little.”         Franklin D. Roosevelt