In New Hampshire, property taxes are not a theoretical issue. They show up in escrow payments, rent increases, and “maybe we should move” conversations at kitchen tables across Sullivan County. So when we hear speeches and posts claiming that property taxes are high because Republicans “shifted burdens,” “broke promises,” or “underfunded” education, we think the… Continue reading A Sullivan County Republican Committee View: Why the Property Tax Narrative Misses the Point
Tag: education
Local Control, Local Reponsibility
For the first time in decades (this century might not be too much of an exaggeration) voters in Claremont will have an honest choice at this coming school district election. Instead of seeing default and proposed budgets that are rubber stamped; a collection of escalating contracts driving costs; and a pre-approved choice between tweedledee and… Continue reading Local Control, Local Reponsibility
The Joys of Open Enrollment
In the recent Claremont SAU6 deliberative session, a seemingly innocuous warrant article on Open Enrollment was defended by progressives and the administration as essential. When (recently sworn in) Councilor Cogswell described the evils of true Open Enrollment in utterly socialist terms, I smelled a rat. His description of not letting "our" money leave Claremont was… Continue reading The Joys of Open Enrollment
Is Education Fungible?
When one gallon of gas equals another, but one child's learning doesn't equal the next, what does "cost per student" really mean? What Does Fungible Mean? When something is fungible, it means one unit can be substituted for another unit. Think about buying milk at Market Basket or Hannaford. A gallon of whole milk is… Continue reading Is Education Fungible?
Goodhart’s Law: When a measure becomes a target, it ceases being a good measure
I have been trying to understand how educational achievement as a desirable social benefit was replaced by a dreary political monopoly of overpriced mediocrity that is public education. Medically, education presents as a vestigial organ. Everyone knows it is supposed to be valuable, but that is repeatedly belied by practical experience. As education became "Our… Continue reading Goodhart’s Law: When a measure becomes a target, it ceases being a good measure
Tomorrow’s School Board Meeting: The Budget Is Public, But the Data Still Isn’t
Preparing for the Spring fleecing SAU 6 has started building the FY27 budget and has published a “Budget Presentation” plus operating budgets for the 3-school and 4-school configurations. Unfortunately, the district continues to publish core financial information only as PDFs. SAU 6 PDFs are fine for printing. They are terrible for analysis. When public budgeting… Continue reading Tomorrow’s School Board Meeting: The Budget Is Public, But the Data Still Isn’t
The Sullivan County NH Republican Committee 