Craig Putnam

I oppose this bill as it works against local choice, fairness, and keeping New Hampshire communities free to manage their own energy futures. Local solar property tax exemptions are a choice made by municipalities, not a mandate. Towns that adopt them do so because they: • Encourage residents to invest in clean, locally produced energy; • Help stabilize long-term household energy costs; • Support local installers and small businesses; • Reduce strain on the electric grid; and • Align with local climate, resilience and energy goals. Repealing the enabling law takes this choice away from communities and penalizes residents who invested in solar in good faith under existing rules. This bill does not lower taxes overall. It shifts costs, creates fairness issues for those who invested in solar energy systems in good faith, and creates new disincentives for clean energy investments that benefit the public. I encourage the committee to reject this ill-conceived bill.