Gary Burton: Support school budget until this state finds a better way to pay for education

To The Daily Sun,

Voter approval of next year’s school budget (fiscal year 2026) is still nine months away so this should be a safe time to try to convince readers that their local schools need their financial support. I don’t mean cash donations, though they are always welcomed. No, I’m talking about voting yes on their next school budget. Why? I fear a perfect storm is brewing that will impact all communities and come to a head at their next school district meeting. 

First, student enrollments are trending downward across the state. If this is true in readers' communities, those who choose to vote will be asked to support an increased school budget for fewer students. The price of everything else is going up. Why should costs associated with public schooling be any different?

Second, in many communities, fewer than one household in six sends a child off to school each day. Fewer and fewer taxpayers derive a direct benefit from their local schools, so it’s become much easier for some citizens to complain about the 70% to 85% of all tax dollars spent on educating other people’s children.

Third, we already know that next year there will be far fewer state and federal dollars to help offset the costs of operating local schools. Neither the state nor federal budgets earmark much support, anyway, but it certainly looks like both entities are doing their best to get out of the public school business altogether.

New Hampshire public schools are funded almost exclusively with local property taxes. This is unsustainable and unfair to both property owners and young families with school children. In addition to property taxes, NH must find another revenue source for school funding. Good public schools are a longterm investment in a community’s health and well-being. They are not an optional expense.

Gary Burton

Meredith