News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
Are property taxes too high? The overwhelming majority of taxpayers apparently don’t think so. If taxes were too high, wouldn’t voters demand tax cuts and/or replace big-spending officials? Property taxes are almost entirely driven by local spending, which local politicians propose and voters approve. I’m familiar with Meredith and the InterLakes School District, … Read more
Don’t look now, but repeal of Act 181, the 2024 Act 250 expansion bill enacted over Gov. Phil Scott’s veto in 2024, isn’t the only ongoing citizen rebellion. Repeal of Act 181’s Tier Two and Tier Three is scheduled to go to the House floor tomorrow. The House changes to bill S.325 would eliminate the road … Read more
State legislators are proclaiming that one-size-fits-all education isn’t suitable for all children. That’s pretty ironic, given that the state systematically adopted a series of uniform mandates on curriculum frameworks, competency grading, behavior modification, and even restorative justice discipline to create a one-size-fits-all adequate education. Now, legislators are trying to somehow “save” our children by letting … Read more
At the January 28 Senate Finance Committee meeting, Sen. Martine Laroque Gulick (D-Chittenden Central) pushed back against the idea that Vermont’s property taxes are too high. “I would love to do a deeper dive when we say the Vermonters can’t afford their property taxes. I’d like to learn more about that,” Gulick, a Burlington resident and … Read more
New Hampshire House Democrats reacted to the leaked “segregated schools” chat the way modern politics trains people to react: treat a sloppy phrase as a full confession of racial intent, denounce it as a moral abomination, and then declare the conversation over. Democratic leader Alexis Simpson called segregation “a living scar,” “built through violence,” and … Read more
To All Interested Officers, Agencies, Courts, and Officials of the State of New Hampshire: Attached is a formal Notice documenting a confirmed constitutional text error in Part II, Article 83 of the New Hampshire Constitution, with material legal and structural implications. Respectfully submitted, Tom Murray, Co-founder Government Integrity Project The document above was just emailed … Read more
If all the property in your town or city is being appraised this year, it’s a revaluation year. If it happened in 2025, pay attention. If you’re in Nashua, keep in mind how flaky city hall has regularly proven itself to be. The law says every 5 years, but 2024 was only two years after … Read more
Today, on the Morning Update, a Democrat in Vermont says what every Democrat wants you to believe because the truth is bad…for Democrats. Links: Follow ‘Grok on X – Get ‘Grok on Rumble – Follow ‘Grok on Facebook – YouTube – Signal – Telegram Speakers’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of … Read more
In 1968, our state constitution was radically amended. Voters were not fully informed of the consequences of the proposed changes. The voters’ guide said the amendment would “remove obsolete sectarian references.” There were exactly four sectarian terms (evangelical, Deity, protestant, and Christians), yet 140 words were removed from Art. 6 P.1 of the NH Constitution … Read more
The committee tasked under Act 73 with coming up with a menu of consolidated school district maps for the legislature to consider in 2026… just didn’t do it. It was their whole job under the law, and after six months of hearings and consultants and cashing those taxpayer-funded per-diem checks and blowing through their $170,000 … Read more
RINO-Russ Barry, who prefers to be referred to as State Rep Ross Berry, wants you to believe that property taxes in New Hampshire are out of control because of “local control” of public school budgets: First, there is no real “local control” of public education in New Hampshire. From an NHPR article: State law RSA 193-E:3-b … Read more
A group called the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project got an idiot judge to rule that New Hampshire’s funding of special education is constitutionally insufficient. This echoes the Claremont rulings and Con Val, all of which are themselves unconstitutional demands by a branch of government with zero authority to speak on the issue. Courts … Read more
Governor Ayotte, When will you be launching a property tax crackdown? Granite Staters desperately need help with cutting rates and out-of-control property assessment to restrict local spending. New Hampshire needs this. Yesterday! People are hurting. I see evidence of this everywhere. This was a sleazy way for the City to boost taxes without raising taxes. Note the huge … Read more
In 2024, when Vermont property taxpayers were whacked with an average 14 percent year over year increase, with some communities seeing nearly 40 percent increases, nobody (or at least not enough) in the legislature asked if citizens could afford this. They just shrugged their shoulders and stuck us with the bill. Same as every year … Read more
With June just around the corner, and the town of Hartford swelling with pride, the townsfolk are confident this year they will find the pot of gold at the end of the many rainbows adorning both field and sky. Despite record rainfall and biblical level flooding over the past four years the residents are certain … Read more
A recent post on the “What’s Happening Hartford” Facebook page asked town members if their new property appraisals increased and by how much. As the answers came in the numbers were staggering as were many of the complaints. The original poster (OP) stated their property assessed value increase by $10,000 which led to a slew … Read more
Rep Jeremy Slottje and various others have tweeted from Reps Hall during today’s House session while the budget was being worked on. It’s reported that 38 Rs voted to remove property tax relief from HB 2. Of the 38, Rep Kuttab and Judge Lynn come as no surprise because their disdain for Nashua taxpayers and … Read more
Many of you saw a petition warrant article on the agenda at your recent town meetings. The idea was to get towns to vote to send the petition to the legislature and the governor. It’s kind of a silly idea — if you’re going to tell your representative something, you should do that as an … Read more
Property taxes are a problem. Towns and cities use imaginary value to charge taxes for profits you have not nor may ever realize, and the drunken sailors then spend it all and come back for more. Sometimes, they pretend to cut taxes by lowering the rates per thousand (on assessed value). Still, when calculated against … Read more
As a matter of public policy, if the Democrat party is behind something, it is probably bad for women and children, minorities, individual rights, human dignity, liberty, individual responsibility, taxes, education, or the future. Whatever they call it, it does the opposite or something radically tangential to its advertised purpose. I was reminded of this … Read more