As many local school districts confront unexpected higher costs for health care, a House committee is promoting a sweeping school budget spending cap to limit annual increases to the rate of inflation plus any growth in enrollment.

By a 14-11 party-line vote, the House Finance Committee endorsed an amendment to this leftover bill from the 2025 session that became a top priority for House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn.

All House Democrats on the panel opposed it.

Both House Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry, and Osborne said last spring the proposed New Hampshire Property Tax Relief Act would rescue taxpayers they said were “held hostage” to runaway tax increases at the local level.

“Spending is out of control and it is time to put it on a leash,” said House Election Laws

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