SAU 16 Joint School Board Holds Public Hearing on HB 1300

EXETER — SAU 16 held a joint School Board meeting and a public hearing to share information about House Bill 1300, potential tax caps, and to get input from community members about the upcoming ballot measure. 

A 16-minute presentation on the ballot measure informed residents of the merits of HB 1300, the calculation formula that will be used in the district levy cap within HB 1300 as well as historical illustrations of how the bill could affect budgets in all 7 of the districts in SAU 16.
 
Superintendent Dr. Christopher Andriski, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Renee Beauregard-Bennett, Chief Financial Officer Mollie O’Keefe, SAU Joint School Board Chairman Patrick O’Day, Joint School Board Vice Chairman Brian Duffy and legal counsel Gordon Graham took to the stage of Exeter High School’s auditorium to listen to community school committee members, town officials, legislators and community members share opinions and ask questions about the ballot measure.
 
Dr. Bennett’s 16-minute presentation explained the details of a ballot measure that would:

Place a 6 percent cap on administrative office spending each year

Limit the district’s annual tax levy to the calculated rate of inflation plus the percentage of new growth in a community each year.
Several residents, board members and legislators expressed strong opinions, but others asked questions about how the law will be implemented if the ballot measure passes. The answer: It’s largely unclear.
 
There is uncertainty about how these rates will be calculated, so SAU administrators have not been able to determine exactly what a future or even current budget would look like if the measure passes.
 
Estimates for how budgets under the measure could turn out all showed significant shortfalls for the 2027-2028 budget.
 
 “We work diligently each year to propose a budget to all of our boards that not only meets the needs of our students, but also is fiscally responsible to all of the taxpayers in each of our towns,” said Superintendent Dr. Andriski. “This is no different than in years past, as we gather significant input on our budgets from our school leaders, Budget Advisory Committees and residents at our board meetings and public hearings.”