10/18/2026
Londonderry, Let’s Come Together: The Real Conversation About the School Tax Cap
Dear Londonderry Neighbors,
Why are we, as community members, so divided over the proposed school tax cap coming out of Concord?
Property taxes are higher than ever, and people across New Hampshire are frustrated. Families, homeowners, and local businesses are struggling with rising costs, and people are looking for answers about how we can control property taxes. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a comprehensive solution, including from our state leaders.
Instead of bringing people together to develop a better funding system for public education—one that could help taxpayers in every community across New Hampshire—Concord is proposing a school tax cap tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
My concern is simple: How can the state impose a limit on school revenue without first understanding what it actually costs each district to operate and provide students with meaningful opportunities to succeed?
Every school district is different. Enrollment, staffing, special education, transportation, health insurance, utilities, maintenance, and contractual obligations all affect the cost of educating our children. These expenses don’t necessarily increase at the same rate as the CPI.
Some may argue that not every district demonstrates the same level of fiscal responsibility or provides the same opportunities for students. That’s a fair question, and it’s exactly why we should be having a broader conversation.
If the goal is to control spending and lower property taxes, why isn’t Concord proposing legislation that helps every district develop better educational plans, stronger financial practices, and more effective ways to use taxpayer dollars?
Why aren’t we focusing on a responsible statewide funding system that supports our public schools while helping property taxpayers in every community?
Let’s look at Londonderry.
Over the past five years, we have reduced staffing through attrition as student enrollment has declined. We scrutinize our budget and work hand in hand with the Budget Committee to identify savings wherever possible. We have strengthened our purchasing practices, improved staff training, and worked to make our operations more efficient.
As a result of our efforts, we have returned over $4 million in unspent funds to our taxpayers over the past six years.
These efforts are not accidental. They are part of our commitment to fiscal responsibility and our strategic plan to develop a stronger business model for the district. We understand that these are taxpayer dollars, and we have a responsibility to use them wisely.
Our work is not finished. We will continue looking for additional savings, improving efficiency, and finding ways to provide our students with more opportunities to learn, grow, and succeed.
That is what responsible school governance should look like: continually evaluating how we spend money while making sure our students receive the opportunities they deserve.
Even with all the fiscal work Londonderry has done, however, a tax cap would still affect our school district. A cap tied to the CPI would limit our ability to respond to the actual costs and needs of educating our students, regardless of the savings we have achieved or the efficiencies we have implemented. Fiscal responsibility does not eliminate the real costs of operating a school district, and a one-size-fits-all cap could create challenges even for communities that have worked diligently to control spending.
What concerns me most about this proposed tax cap is that it is putting neighbors at odds with one another over a solution developed in Concord without first doing the work necessary to understand the individual needs and financial realities of each school district.
Londonderry has done that work. Our School Board, administration, and Budget Committee have worked together to scrutinize spending, identify savings, and return millions of dollars to taxpayers while continuing to support student opportunities.
We should be building on that kind of work, not creating division between people who all want the same things: reasonable property taxes, responsible spending, strong schools, and a community where families want to live and businesses want to invest
Londonderry, let’s come together.
We can demand fiscal responsibility and support our public schools. We can work toward lower property taxes without ignoring the real costs of educating our children. And we can insist that Concord do its part by developing a fairer, more effective way to fund public education across New Hampshire.
Let’s ask our state representatives and senators to work with local communities, school boards, administrators, and taxpayers to find a sustainable funding solution that benefits every community in our state before supporting a tax cap.
We owe it to our taxpayers to spend wisely. We owe it to our students to protect their opportunities. And we owe it to our community to work together rather than allow a one-size-fits-all formula to divide us.
Let’s focus on solutions, not division. Let’s support fiscal responsibility, better school funding, and opportunities for every student.
Londonderry, let’s tell Concord to roll up its sleeves and work with us to develop a solution—and a sustainable mechanism—to fund our public schools more effectively. Doing so would have a positive impact on every taxpayer across our state.
Sincerely,
Bob Slater
School Board Member
