Voters in nine communities rejected proposed tax caps at local elections and town meetings this week.
The measures would have limited budget increases to the amount raised by local taxes in the previous year, with certain adjustments for inflation. Backers have raised concerns about local property tax burdens.
Voters in Brookline, Campton, Claremont, Durham, Lee, Madbury, New Durham, Plymouth, and Warner defeated warrant articles calling for tax caps.
However, Kingston approved a petition article for a tax cap, despite selectboard opposition.
Lebanon voters also passed a cap on the city’s annual budget increases, which can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the city council.
The state Legislature currently has a bill that would require towns to consider a local school district tax cap every two years. The House passed the bill Wednesday, mostly along party lines. It now goes to the Senate.
The push for fiscal austerity and oversight has received pushback from opponents who say it will lead to financial trouble for budget committees and districts at a time of rising costs and obligations.
In Claremont, School Board Member Candy Crawford told the Valley News the outcome showed that voters understood the financial impact such a cap would mean for the district.
“Once they were made aware of the impact,” she said, “they did not want to support that kind of devastating effect it would have on the schools.”
The proposed tax cap in Durham, Lee and Madbury was defeated in the Oyster River Cooperative School District election Tuesday.
According to the New Hampshire Municipal Association, six towns have already adopted tax caps in previous years under RSA 32:5-b: Alstead, Brentwood, Litchfield, Middleton, Milton, and Nottingham.
