State Budget/State Aid to Cities and Towns
The following chart shows the fiscal years 2012 and 2013 state aid to cities, towns and school districts as enacted under HB 1 and HB 2 of the 2011 Legislative Session.
Schedule of State Aid to Cities, Towns, and School Districts (PDF) 2002-2013
The State of New Hampshire currently faces significant budget challenges. Municipalities are also facing significant budget challenges of their own, with losses in local sources of revenues, cuts in state aid, and property taxpayers saying "enough”!
In early 2011, NHMA published State Aid to Municipalities: History and Trends, an informational booklet designed to help local officials and legislators understand better the impact that state budget decisions have on municipalities. The booklet explains the history and recent trends in numerous state aid programs and also differentiates between state aid to municipalities and state aid to school districts.
This year state budget decisions were made by an unusually high number of new House and Senate members, many of whom were not familiar with the connection between state and local budgets. NHMA provided a copy of State Aid to Municipalities: History and Trends to all House and Senate members so that they would have this background information as well.
Download a printer-friendly version of State Aid to Municipalities: History and Trends (PDF)
Below is a listing by municipality of revenues received from the meals and rooms tax distribution and highway block grants. The retirement allocation of $3.5 million for FY 2012 reflects a significant reduction from the State's prior contribution level of $44.3 million in FY 2011. Also shown is the revenue sharing last received in FY 2009. Note that the “suspension” of revenue sharing and the freeze on the catch-up provision for the meals and rooms tax distribution were intended to only be temporary for the 2010-2011 state budget but were continued in the 2012-2013 budget.
- Meals and Rooms/Highway Block Grants for FY 2012 (PDF)
- NHRS $3.5 Million Allocation to Political Subdivisions for FY 2012
- Revenue Sharing for FY 2009 (PDF)
Contact Your Legislators
It is imperative that legislators hear from local officials about the effect that state-level budgetary decisions will have on their communities. Discuss with your legislative delegation specific details about the impact—in terms of services, municipal operations, and property taxes—that these revenues have in your municipality.
Contact Government Affairs staff with any questions and to share updates on communications you have had with legislators.