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 Preshow Return to index of stories... |
Next on New Hampshire Outlook. Education Funding. we'll hear voices from business. property rich and property poor towns. We'll look at who pays the biggest piece of the pie. |
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Hello. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to NH Outlook. |
| Intro Educ funding Return to index of stories... |
As political campaigns heat up around the state, there's a familiar tone in the air. But beyond the rhetoric and promises that are being made about education funding, there is debate growing over what should be done to solve the Education Funding dilemma. From property owners to business owners, people are concerned about how we're funding education in New Hampshire. Phil Vaughn begins our coverage. 5:33-5:37 QUICK |
| Ed Funding Return to index of stories... |
Sound in candy store Narration - Just down the road from the state capital building there's a candy store. It's been owned by the same family for more than 75 years. Jeff clip - "My brother and I are the third generation to own the business. We grew up in the store. You can say that it's in our blood." Narration - Jeff Bart employs ten, full-time workers at the store. For every hour they work, Jeff pays a business tax, a third of which goes towards funding education. Jeff clip - "What we end up paying is a business enterprise tax and over the last few years, it has tripled. It's a tax based on the payroll of the business and luckily we make a profit. Some companies don't yet they still pay the tax based on the payroll." Narration - Currently, education funding comes from three primary sources: the largest is the local property tax, which makes up 37% of the total. Statewide property taxes make up 31 percent and the NH Education Trust fund accounts for 25 percent. More than one-third of the Education Trust Fund consists of business taxes - roughly 140 million dollars a year. Jeff clip - "As a business, we also pay property tax and income tax and self-employment tax to the federal government. The way I would rather see funding for schools happen in New Hampshire is through an income tax." Dissolve to shots of Lincoln Narration - Two hours north of Concord is the town of Lincoln. The population here is about 1,400. It's a tourist destination with a lot of seasonal employment. Like all communities throughout the state, Lincoln collects local property taxes, some of help pay for local schools. The rest is sent to the state. That so-called statewide property tax, is money that is pooled and then redistributed in amounts determined by need. Some communities with depressed property values, receive money. They're known as receiver towns. On the other hand, there are 55 communities with high property values that are donor towns. Stand up "Lincoln is one of those donor communities. This, despite the fact that that they rank last in the state in median household income." Deanna clip - "Because we are considered property rich. There are so many condos and second homes here. 'Are those people from out of town?' Yes." Narration - Deanna Huot has lived in Lincoln for more than thirty years. She's a selectman and owner of this small resort. She remembers the community's reaction when they were listed as a donor town, a few years ago. Deanna - "The reaction was, 'How am I going to pay these taxes?' There was real panic. In 1998 we renovated the town hall building for 1.1 million dollars. It took ten years to save for that and the next year, we started to pay the statewide property tax which was 1.3 million dollars. The same the next year. We are giving away a town building every year." Narration - Last year, Lincoln's operating budget was slightly less than three million dollars. Deanna clip - "So we're spending out an equivalent to about 43% of our operating budget. So what happens over a period of time is things deteriorate if we don't get a hold of this. One thing we had to cut back on this year was the police department. That's what's happening. Deanna clip - "I'm not saying that Lincoln doesn't want t be responsible for it's share of funding. I'm saying let's have something that's fair and equitable. It's not fair when the state's lowest income town sends out 43% of its operating budget." Dissolve to shots of Belmont Don clip - "I would hate to see this become a battle between donor towns and receiver towns." Narration - Don McLelland is a resident and the town administrator of Belmont. Unlike Lincoln, Belmont is a receiver town. Many of its longtime residents are elderly and on fixed incomes. Don clip - "Because the population here is growing and they bring children, our three schools are working at capacity. The seniors are having a difficult time paying property taxes. It's a situation that's hard to address." Narration - Last year, the Belmont School District received 3.7 million dollars from the statewide property tax money. Without it, they would have needed to increase local property taxes by eleven percent. Don clip - "Add 11% to the tax base and you'd have an uprising. I'd be right there too. We really need to evaluate how we go forward in funding education and balancing that with county and municipal taxes. But I don't have an answer on how we move forward and apparently, neither do the people in Concord." |
| Intro Discussion Return to index of stories... |
Joining me to talk more about education funding - the impact it has on both businesses and communties - John Crossier with the Business and Industry Association. Ted Jankowski, Portsmouth City Manager and member of the coalition communitiies and Michael Asselin, Selectman from Danville who is actively recruiting communities to become members of the Coalition of Receiver Towns. |
| Ed Funding Return to index of stories... |
John Crossier the BIA is distributing a brochure outlining business taxes and how they are used to pay for education - why? John Crosier how aware are businesses of the tax structure? Outline the two taxes - bpt and bet? Ted, the coalition communities have become a politically active group, you've hosted a gubernatorial debate to see where candidates stand on the statewide property tax.What do you hope to accomplish? If not a property tax, how will we pay? Michael Asselin, you're trying to set up a coalition of reciever towns why? Are you in favor of property tax? Is there concern Michael and Ted that this will pit community against community? John - what responsibility does the business community have in helping fund educ? As far as school funding, the state has said certain standards must be met - so there has to be a way to pay for improvements what are we supposed to do? what about those who are retired or on a fixed income - we've heard the stories about folks who can't get by if the have to shoulder an increase in property taxes? who determines what amount of money is needed by communities that are receiver towns |
| News Briefs Return to index of stories... |
Briefly in the news this Monday. |
| Stock Markets Return to index of stories... |
The wall street sell-off continued on Monday. The Dow Jones dropped more than 300 points, rebounded into positive territory - then ended the day down 235 points - its lowest level since October eighth, 1998. Some of the volatility came after WorldCom filed for Chapter Eleven bankruptcy protection, a move that had been widely expected. |
| Toll Record Return to index of stories... |
There's a new record for the number of cars passing through the Hooksett tollbooth in a single day. According to the Department of Transportation 95-thousand, 310 vehicles went through the I-93 toll booth Friday. The toll booth took in around 70-thousand dollars. The D-O-T attributes the high numbers to the NASCAR race at Loudon, combined with excellent vacation weather. |
| E.Coli Return to index of stories... |
DNA tests show three granite state residents were infected by a strain of E. coli - like the one that infected more than a dozen people in Colorado. But the State epidemiologist says it's not clear yet whether they ate ground beef, or where they became infected. Last week ConAgra recalled more than 19 million pounds of possibly tainted ground beef. |
| Loon Count Return to index of stories... |
Biologists are still tallying the numbers from Saturday's loon count. Last year in New Hampshire, counters recorded 652 of the endangered birds - that's a strong comeback from recent years. Biologists credit artificial nesting platforms, signs that warn boaters about nests and the ban on lead fishing sinkers. |
| Air Quality Return to index of stories... |
For the first time, New Hampshire officials are warning about unhealthy ozone levels at elevations about 3-thousand feet in the White Mountains. It's the result of the state joining forces with the Appalachian Mountain Club to monitor ozone in the mountains. Rockingham and Hillsborough Counties were issued warnings on Monday. |
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For information on our program, and links to our guests and interviews, visit our web site at nhptv.org. You can see and hear streaming video of our broadcasts. If you've got a story idea or comment on our program, click the feedback button on our website. Or, call us at 800-639-2721. |
| Tomorrow Return to index of stories... |
On the next New Hampshire Outlook - Health and Human Services in the Granite State. A conversation with outgoing commissioner Donald Shumway. |
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That's it for this edition of our program. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on New Hampshire Outlook. |
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Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Public Service of New Hampshire Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust Putnam Foundation Stratford Foundation |
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Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Health and Human Services in the Granite State. A conversation with outgoing commissioner Donald Shumway. Tonight at 10pm on New Hampshire Public Television. |
| Intro Horse Return to index of stories... |
Horse lovers will have a unique opportunity here in New Hampshire this weekend. The federal government is bringing close to thirty wild horses from out west to Somersworth New Hampshire, so they can be adopted. Recently we had a chance to talk to two people who know first-hand the joys and frustrations of owning a wild horse. I spoke to Susan Booth about the wild horses event. She says it's been cancelled, depite the fact that ads are still running. It has been moved to Woodstown NJ August 24th.Last year, 44 animals were adopted 33 horses 11 burros. Susan didn't adopt because they have 7 mustangs already and wanted to make sure anyone there who was adopting for the first time would be able to get a horse. Maybe we could say if you've seen the ads.want to let you know still, blah blah blah balh - whadya think?! |
| key: education Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:7/22/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 23:00 In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a report and discssion on education funding. As political campaigns heat up around the state, there's a familiar tone in the air. But beyond the rhetoric and promises that are being made about education funding, there is debate growing over what should be done to solve the Education Funding dilemma. From property owners to business owners, people are concerned about how we're funding education in New Hampshire. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Phil Vaughn / Allison McNair NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Jeffrey Bart\Business owner Deanna Huot\Lincoln resident Donald McLelland Sr\Belmont resident |
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NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:7/22/02 / 2200 HOST: Allison McNair Length: In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included PRODUCER/REPORTER: NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: |
| Horse Tag Return to index of stories... |
On Friday Horse Trainer David Scay will give a seminar on working with wild horses.On Saturday, The Wild Horse & Wild Burro Adoption will take place from 8 to 5. Both events take place at the Hilltop Equestrian Center. For more information you can call 800-293-1781 or log on to wild-horse-and-burro-dot-b-l-m-dot-gov. |
| Tonight 10:00 Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Join us tonight at 10:00 only on New Hampshire Outlook. |