The state would take significant control of local school spending under a bill Republicans passed in the New Hampshire House Thursday, March 13.

The legislation would automatically cap local school budgets and allow increases only for inflation and rising enrollment. Voters would need a two-thirds majority to override a spending cap, a threshold opponents said is virtually unreachable.

Thursday’s vote came two days after at least seven communities considered an optional version of that spending cap that lawmakers put in place last year. All seven rejected it.

Rep. Hope Damon, a Croydon Democrat, reminded House members of that Thursday, telling them voters were watching and would hold them accountable.

“House Bill 675 is an arbitrary sledgehammer that attacks local control without any flexibility, reason, or fairness,” Damon said. “It completely violates New Hampshire’s longtime respect for local control by overriding school districts.”

Damon also noted that the legislation does not include an adjustment for special education costs which can be unpredictable but must be paid under federal law. That would lead to cuts in other educational programs, she said.

The bill’s backers include Republican Rep. Dan McGuire of Epsom, who saw his proposed school budget cap fail in that district Tuesday, 289-579. McGuire told House members the state needs to step in because local spending is burdening taxpayers without clear benefits to students.

“There is no correlation between spending and outcomes,” McGuire said. “What we do know is that there is a huge correlation between spending and property taxes.”

The bill heads next to the House Finance Committee.

— ANNMARIE TIMMINS/NH PUBLIC RADIO