The New Hampshire legislature is grappling with the state Supreme Court’s order to come up with an adequacy definition. A joint legislative task force has been holding hearings across the state for citizens and policymakers to weigh in, but some people are calling for defiance of the order and say it will result in higher taxes.
The state is under court order to define an “adequate education” and determine its cost by July. So school finance will play a prominent role in this year’s legislative session. Governor John Lynch (D) was re-elected in November. He wants to target more school aid to low-income communities but says he will veto any broad-based sales or income tax. New Hampshire has neither and relies almost exclusively on property taxes to fund schools. It is likely, however, that the legislature will send a school finance package that includes at least one of these taxes to Lynch this session. Voters defeated in November a constitutional amendment that would have stripped the courts of authority to review the constitutionality of the state’s school funding system.