If you could do something to keep your property taxes from rising, would you? HB20, coming up for a vote this week in our state house,  will change the course of how property taxes will be spent. Taxes, meant for our public school system, will be tapped to be dispersed to private, religious and charter schools. This money will be drawn from the public school state budget. If this is allowed to go through it becomes inevitable that the shortfall for keeping public schools open will come from raising property taxes. It is that dire.

We must shower our state representatives with our strong opinions on this subject. Generally, the republicans think this is a great idea. The governor, who sends his own children to religious school, and the education secretary who home schools, are all for it. If we, particularly those of us who are represented by republicans, can get the message to them that a vote for this bill puts their next election in jeopardy, they may well listen. We need to let our democrats know we support them to vote against this bill as well.

This subject, vouchers, has been a favorite of republicans for decades. It has been fought back vote after vote. The problem, of course, is that elections have consequences and this is a huge consequence of the November vote. We are clearly in danger of having this bill passed. Let’s all write that email, make that call, express your disgust with the concept of using public school funding for alternate ideas of educating our youth.

Please take an hour this afternoon and attend the emergency forum on school district defunding. It is critical that we do all we can to keep this Betsy Devos-like idea never see the light of day.

This is definitely our last email as the “ann-and-barbie show”. We pass the baton tomorrow!

Content of this email!

• Linda Tanner, House Education Committee, HB 20, register your opposition!
• January 31, 4 – 5 PM Eastern Time, Emergency Forum on School District Defunding & HB20
• February 1, 6.30 PM UVDems Caucus
• February 4, Network For Public Education
  Fighting Voucher Legislation workshop
• How to register to support or oppose a House or Senate bill
• Support your town/city warrant on fair, non partisan, transparent, redistricting!

Since we last communed, a few life-shaking things have happened . . . one thing–the massive voter turnout and success in Georgia is enough for its own celebratory holiday . . . the other has sent most of us back to wallow in wine, bingeing on ice cream (or is it just me (Barbara)). We are still talking close to 50% of the population voted for this sector and a whooping 45% of Republicans think storming the Capitol was OK. We need to push the eject button.

Please take a minute to read the op-ed piece by Rep. David Meuse from Portsmouth, below. He pretty much lays out the case that New Hampshire is no different than the rest of the country and the barn door is open for the same kind of display at our own capitol. The party in charge is showing little ability to reason, honk once for yes, blink your lights for ???  And this quote: “the loss of face for a country once revered as a beacon of freedom . . . is now regarded by many as the world’s largest lunatic asylum.” says it all.

So where do we go from here? first—If ever there was a bill presented to Congress that should be passed ASAP it is HR 1. This bill addresses campaign reform, gerrymandering, financing and corruption in a way that would change the political landscape for a very long time. Please please read the report below and contact Annie Kuster to push for this bill’s passage on January 21.

Then we need to prepare for 2022. All our towns have chairpeople who are part of the Grafton County Dems. If you have the time and desire to make a change there will be opportunities coming up. We will keep you in the loop. We need to get people energized to register and to see the consequences of sitting these elections out. Lots to do—calls to make, emails to write.

So, welcome to 2021! Let’s hang in there and get the jab when it’s offered. And hope for an end to multiple plagues.

Click here for the full post!

• Immediate: For the People Act Bill H.R.1 Urgent Action
• Rep. Meuse Opinion: It Can Happen Here Too
• Democratic Leader Cushing responds to anti-Semitic post by Republican House member
• January 25, 6.30 p.m., UVD Caucus, Agenda