N.H. Rev. Stat. § 32:5-e — NH Code / Title III / Chapter 32 / Section 5-e
32:5-e School District Budget Cap.
Status: in_force

Upon adoption under RSA 32:5-f, the following shall apply: I. In a school district that has adopted this section, the total amount raised and appropriated for the fiscal year, including the operating budget and all other warrant articles with a tax impact, as shown on the budget certified by the school board or the budget committee and posted with the warrant for the annual meeting pursuant to RSA 32:5, shall not exceed the current per pupil cost, as defined herein, times the average daily membership in residence (ADMR), pursuant to RSA 198:38, I-a, of the school district as of October 1 of the year immediately preceding the proposed budget year as reported to the department of education times (1+ IF), where IF is an amount for an annual increase for inflation. The first year after the budget cap is adopted, the current per pupil cost shall be the per pupil cost adopted in the warrant article per RSA 32:5-f, IV. In subsequent years, the current per pupil cost shall be the previous year's current per pupil cost times (1+IFP), where IFP is the previous year's IF. II. The annual increase for inflation (IF) shall be either a fixed percentage, annual percentage change of an inflation index published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of October 1, preceding the date of the budget hearing held pursuant to RSA 32:5, I, or annual percentage change of the Municipal Cost Index (MCI) published by American City and County as of October 1, preceding the date of the budget hearing held pursuant to RSA 32:5, I. III. The legislative body may override the budget cap by the usual procedures applicable to annual school meetings of the legislative body, provided that when a proposed appropriation will cause the total amount raised and appropriated to exceed the budget cap or the total amount already raised and appropriated has exceeded the budget cap, voting on the appropriation question shall be by ballot, but the question shall not be placed on the official ballot used to elect officers, except in the case of a legislative body that uses an official ballot form of meeting under RSA 40:13 or under a charter adopted pursuant to RSA 49-D. If a 3/5 majority, or the supermajority as determined under a charter pursuant to RSA 49-D, of those voting on the question vote "yes," the appropriation is approved. Only votes in the affirmative or negative shall be included in the calculation of the 3/5 majority or the supermajority as determined under a charter pursuant to RSA 49-D. IV. (a) When using the official ballot form of meeting under RSA 40:13, if the warrant article for the operating budget results in appropriations exceeding the budget cap and receives less than 3/5 majority "yes" vote, the adopted operating budget shall be reduced by appropriations already raised to remain compliant with the budget cap. (b)(1) School districts shall place the warrant article for the SAU budget at the beginning of school district warrant, immediately after any warrant articles proposing bonds or notes. (2) For school districts using a traditional meeting and when the outcome of the SAU budget vote is pending on balloting from the other school districts, the higher of the school district's assigned portion of the proposed SAU budget or the school district's assigned portion of the adjusted SAU budget shall be assumed as raised and appropriated for the purpose of determining when the override provisions under paragraph III apply.