If according to Governor Lynch and many other Legislators, Amherst deserves nothing from the state to support public education, Amherst's tax rate would jump close to $3.00 per thousand. Many of the bill's sponsor's believe that we need to target all aid to poorer communities. Right now, state aid is targeted. The reason that poorer communities still do not get enough is not because Amherst gets aid but because the Legislature refuses to make education a priority. Amherst may have a very high median income but unlike a community like Portsmouth, it does not have the very high valuation to support the number of students we educate. For example according to the lasted updated figures from DOE and DRA: Amherst educates 2247 students ( some from Mont Vernon), Portsmouth-2705; Amherst's town valuation is about 1.6 million; Portsmouth is almost 4 mil. Amherst's total tax rate is $25.37 while Portsmouth's is $17.27. Is it any wonder why Amherst gets a state education grant? I would like to encourage our Selectmen and Boards of Education to get involved in trying to persuade our delegation to vote against this bill.
