Update: Croydon School Board Nixes Anti-Tax Cap Mailer

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

Less than 24 hours after NHJournal reported on a political mailer developed by the Croydon School Board to oppose the property tax cap on the November ballot, the board voted to shelf the controversial flyer.

“The Croydon School Board met (Tuesday) evening and voted against sending the flyer that had been drafted,” Board chair Aaron McKeon told NHJournal.

“It was our original intention to educate the public on what’s in the bill as well as take a position. Upon further feedback and discussion, we will instead post a minimalistic message on our website that provides a link to the law and encourages people to educate themselves on it prior to Election Day.

“The Board will not communicate a position.”

In response to NHJournal’s reporting, House Election Law Committee chair Rep. Ross Berry, R-Weare, filed a complaint with the attorney general’s office accusing the board of violating the state’s electioneering statue.

Informed of the board’s decision, Berry praised them for doing the right thing.

“I am truly glad they have decided to do the right thing. Several Croydon residents reached out to me concerned about the pending action, and I am pleased that the board listened to the community, followed the law, and corrected course.”

HB 1300 gives voters the opportunity to vote to cap local school property taxes at the rate of inflation plus qualifying new taxable property growth. It also limits school administrative spending to 6% of combined school district appropriations.

During its Sept. 15 meeting, the Croydon School Board unanimously passed a motion by Vice Chair Amanda Leslie to “create a mailing with facts and oppose HB1300 to be sent to residents.”

The resulting flyer says, “An arbitrary and predetermined spending cap would shift budget control from Croydon to Concord and would not support our School Choice model.”

“THE CROYDON SCHOOL BOARD DOES NOT SUPPORT HB 1300,” the flyer adds.

The front reminds residents: “Don’t Forget to Vote on November 3!” Its attribution reads, “PROVIDED BY THE CROYDON SCHOOL BOARD | OCTOBER 2026.”

Berry said the opposition language, paired with the voting reminder, makes the flyer political advertising subject to state disclosure requirements.

“The board’s own label for the mailer, or its claim that it only meant to inform, does not control,” he wrote in the complaint.

McKeon originally defended the flyer. “The Board took a position but is not telling people how to vote,” he told NHJournal.

On Tuesday, however, McKeon reiterated that the flyer “has not been distributed, nor will it be.”

Berry called the board’s decision “an example of good governance. The board deserves credit for responding to the concerns of its residents, and other school boards should take note.”

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.