The so-called donor communities sued shortly after the state passed the final version of the tax in November 1999. In January, Superior Court Judge Richard Galway ruled that local property appraisals were suspect and state procedures to ensure fairness and accuracy were inadequate. The record in this case shows that steps are already being taken'' toward that goal, the court said. The Legislature is in the midst of a heated debate over how to supplement or replace the property tax, which expires in two years. Options include an income tax, a sales tax, and higher taxes on businesses, all of which failed to clear the House recently.
Most plans rely on a package of taxes including a statewide property tax.
Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, who pledged to veto an income tax during her first two terms, declined to renew the pledge last year. The people of this state should be able to rely upon the good faith and common sense of the executive and legislative branches to take the necessary action, not just because by doing so the state may avoid future successful legal challenges, but because that is the essence of our constitutional form of government,'' the majority said. Click here for more news Click here to send this article to a friend Seacoast Online is owned and operated by Seacoast Newspapers. Copyright 2001 Seacoast Online. All rights reserved.