Charlotte Barrie

Hello, my name is Charlotte Barrie and I live in Merrimack, NH. I am opposed to HB 1300, and especially to the non-germane amendment that adds the local property tax cap language from HB 675. HB 1300 was introduced as a bill about congressional districts. Adding major local tax policy through a last-minute amendment that is completely unrelated to the original bill is inappropriate and undermines transparency in the legislative process. Granite Staters already rejected the property tax cap proposal in HB 675. Reviving it by attaching it to an unrelated bill ignores the will of voters and avoids the open debate this policy deserves. Decisions about local property taxes should remain with local communities, not be pushed through procedural shortcuts at the State House. Even setting aside the substance of the policy, this process is wrong. Bills with significant impacts on local governance and taxation should stand on their own and be considered openly and honestly. For these reasons, I urge the committee to oppose HB 1300 and reject the non-germane amendment. Thank you for your time and consideration.