Posts by Rep. David Preece
Two recent disclosures—one from the New Hampshire Office of the Legislative Budget Assistant and another from the office of Kelly A. Ayotte—give us an answer that should concern every taxpayer in this city.
At the State House, where I serve, we debate budgets, oversight, and fiscal responsibility every day. We review reports, question spending, and argue over priorities because taxpayer dollars demand accountability. But those conversations depend on a shared premise: that rules matter, and that they apply equally.
New Hampshire has always stood for something simple and powerful: local control, fiscal responsibility, and the freedom to make our own choices.
That’s exactly why a proposed constitutional amendment to permanently ban a state income tax is the wrong move—especially for cities like Manchester.
If you live in Manchester, you’re already feeling the pressure—higher property taxes, strained schools, and growing demands on local services.
HB 1793 would prohibit public colleges and universities from setting any rules governing firearms or even non-lethal weapons on campus. That means no local policies. No safety protocols. No ability to respond to the specific needs of a campus community.
Recently, Americans have heard calls from national leaders to pray for victory in explicitly Christian terms—language that suggests U.S. military action carries divine favor. That should concern all of us.
Governor Kelly Ayotte’s veto of HB 451 was not an act of fiscal discipline—it was an act of political deference that ignores both the needs of our communities and the realities of responsible environmental stewardship.
Members of the New Hampshire National Guard, including men and women who live and work in Manchester, could now find themselves deployed into a conflict whose purpose and duration remain uncertain. These are our neighbors. They coach youth sports, attend our churches, and work in our hospitals, construction sites, and small businesses.
When the state underfunds education, the difference must be made up locally. That means property taxes carry a heavier burden.
Before entering public service, I spent part of my professional career reviewing and drafting environmental and economic impact statements. Those documents shape major public decisions. They are supposed to present facts clearly, test assumptions rigorously, and weigh both benefits and costs honestly. I learned quickly that the most important question is not what an impact statement includes—but what it leaves out.