News
In what Hanover Town Manager Julia Griffin deems the biggest issue New Hampshire has tackled in years, the Governor and state legislature are currently struggling to find a constitutional and equitable source of funding for the state's public schools.
For years, local property taxes had provided the monies for New Hampshire's public education.
Yet a 1997 state Supreme Court decision, currently contested by the state's Republican leadership, ruled that such a method of funding was inequitable and unconstitutional.
While in the years since the legislature developed interim solutions to the funding problem, the legislature is now under pressure to develop a long-term plan by session's end in June.
And on February 8, Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen announced her plan -- EXCEL New Hampshire -- to fund public education.
Calling her plan "a solution that will keep our economy strong and prepare our students for the future," Shaheen's proposal includes a 2.5 percent statewide sales tax and $4.90 (per $1,000) property tax.
The plan also holds school districts to statewide performance standards and includes literacy and early learning initiatives.
"All our children, no matter where they live, need a good education," Shaheen said in a press release.
Yet Shaheen's plan is not without controversy.