KAREN BURNETT-KURIE'S PRIORITIES
While she has been a lifelong independent, Karen Burnett-Kurie is running as a Democrat with the goal of bringing balance to Ossipee, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro’s representation in Concord.
AFFORDABILITY
Making sure all NH Residents can afford to call the Granite State home.
Convert the existing Education Tax Credit (ETC) program - which allows businesses to donate their business taxes to an eligible scholarship program - to a Housing Tax Credit. The state has 3 housing programs that were zero funded in the last budget cycle even though New Hampshire desperately needs more support for new and affordable housing across the state. This tax credit model has produced between $2.5 to $3.5 million annually for the ETC; funding that would greatly impact New Hampshire’s housing crisis. Converting the ETC program to a Housing Tax Credit would allow NH Businesses to continue to earn a tax credit toward 85% of their BET or BPT program (up to $600,000) while also supporting housing for their workforce. This supports employees of NH businesses who are presently unable to find and hold on to affordable housing in the Granite State as housing costs continue to rise without relief in sight. In addition, the last two cuts of the BET will be reinstated with the added revenue produced by the Housing Tax Credit also dedicated to the Housing Fund. By generating this revenue on an on-going basis, sustained efforts can be made to combat housing needs in the state. New Hampshire limits total aggregate donations to $6,000,000 per year, translating to a maximum of $5.1 million in available tax credits. There would be no change to this limit. According to the NH Department of Revenue the Education Tax Credit has received the following in donation amounts: 2024-2025 Program $2,350,837 donated; 2023-2024 Program $2,475,586 donated; 2022-2023 Program $3,522,870 donated.
HOUSING
Create a Child Care Tax Credit similar to the House Tax Credit above, to increase funding for childcare scholarships and start-up costs for new providers across the state. Modeled after the existing Education Tax Credit this program would increase funding to New Hampshire‘s Child Care Scholarship program. NH Businesses would still earn a tax credit toward 85% of their business taxes, up to a maximum of $600,000. In addition, these tax credits would allow businesses to support potential employees who rely on childcare in order to work and provide for their families. In addition, the last two cuts to the BPT will be reinstated with the revenue produced dedicated to the NH Child Care Scholarship program on an ongoing basis for sustained impact. A Child Care Tax Credit would increase the workforce pool with employees who are currently unable to work due to the high cost of childcare in the Granite State. New Hampshire limits total aggregate donations to the ETC to $6,000,000 per year, translating to a maximum of $5.1 million in available tax credits. This limit would be true of the Child Care Tax Credit limit as well. Therefore up to $5.1 million in revenue could be diverted from the general fund. In addition, the last two cuts of the BET will be reinstated with the added revenue produced dedicated to reimbursing the General Fund, for revenue diverted to this new tax credit program. After reimbursement is met, the balance would go into the Child Care Scholarship Fund on an ongoing basis.
CHILD CARE
Medicaid Premiums: Replace the premiums now being charged Medicaid recipients. Starting this year a NH single Mom making $60,000 per year is being charged $270 per month for Medicaid healthcare for herself and her children. This is an untenable charge and too often means the entire family is without healthcare. The impact? Higher costs for all of us. Medicaid insurance needs to be returned to its qualifying status for recipients. This requires providing another source for $23 million in the first year which can be done by: Adding excise taxes on: a. fireworks – an 8 to 12% fireworks safety fee would collect taxes from our substantial number of out of state buyers as well as in-staters buying fireworks. *potential earnings from this excise tax TBD b. beer and wine sold outside of NH liquor stores - given grocery stores and convenience stores already collect/submit prepared food tax, tobacco taxes, and in some cases gas taxes, this will be a familiar mechanism for them to manage. In addition, it will collect from out of state buyers on top of NH buyers. *potential earnings from this excise tax TBD c. a luxury tax on non-essential, high-value goods and services such as recreational vessels, aircraft, premium travel & services. Additionally, New Hampshire needs to work toward guaranteeing all seniors in the state have access to a Medicare Advantage plan. Carroll County was singled out in 2026 for not having a 'regular' Medicare Advantage Plan. This needs to be addressed by our NH Commissioner of Insurance and our US delegation with the state legislature exerting pressure to make this happen. Thousands of seniors should not be left without care because their county is suddenly dropped by companies serving other parts of NH. If Medicare Advantage companies want to serve NH Seniors they need to provide plans in all counties in the state. Given the small size of the state - geographically and by population — the state should be considered one Medicare Advantage market to be served equally statewide. This can be achieved with companies singularly or collaboratively providing coverage statewide. To accomplish this, the state legislature must work with our US delegation, the NH Department of Insurance and the US Medicare Office.
HEALTHCARE
Raise the minimum wage to a rate comparable to our neighboring states: Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont. This may be symbolic to many since most jobs in NH pay above minimum wage, but it is critical to NH workers who do earn minimum wage and sends an important message to young people. Granite Staters want young career employees and young families to know they are valued as they are the future of our workforce and our state’s economy. It is detrimental to our economy to be known as the only state in New England to have not raised our minimum wage for decades. This would require a constitutional amendment which should go before the public so all NH Residents have the opportunity to convey their collective opinion.
MINIMUM WAGE
FAIR TAXATION
NH Residents deserve reasonable taxes used to better their lives.
The very first thing that should happen - which will address property taxes and public school funding - is to get rid of SWEPT which was intended to be only temporary to begin with. This will instantly reduce property taxes. It should be done in conjunction with legislation which reserves property taxes for local and county expenses only -- and not state. The state would then replace the $363 million of fake funding through SWEPT (“fake” because it results in NH Residents charging ourselves more property taxes and then Concord saying “they” gave it to us) so all towns would actually receive adequacy funding from the state. The state can use income from one or more of the following sources to actually provide the $323 million they are constitutionally obligated to provide: a. Reinstating the interest and dividends tax which we had for over 100 years as it existed in conjunction with the "NH Advantage". This would provide more than half of the funds needed since it earned $185 million in 2024. b. Eliminate new (optional) programs which have been created without a ‘new’ dedicated funding source in the last five years. Constitutionally obligated programs should be fully funded before new optional programs are considered. (e.g. the Education Freedom Account voucher program would be eliminated which costs $50 to 100 million annually.) c. Legalize marijuana and collect profits on its sale similar to our liquor stores; or tax its purchase at private dispensaries. d. Add a tax on trust funds beyond a certain size invested in NH.
PROPERTY TAXES
Coming Soon
THE STATE MUST MEET ITS COMMITMENTS
Establish a study committee to review how ten other low tax burden states raise funds to under the pros and cons of each of their methods in order to consider how New Hampshire could change its tax funding mix. Some of these low tax burden states have lower burdens than NH AND are able to adequately fund their programs and services, including state funding for public education at a higher level than the Granite State. NH needs to not only be a low tax burden state but also affordable. However, our affordability ranking is now 40th in the nation. We need to fix this so people young and old want to call New Hampshire home for their lifetime. Given New Hampshire's increasing average population age, we need to seriously consider the needs of young adults and young families in our definition of the NH Advantage.
LOW TAX BURDEN
PROTECT & IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION
All NH students deserve an adequate education.
Coming soon.
EDUCATION FUNDING
Coming soon.
HB1300
Everything Concord and Washington require schools to perform and regulate should be included in the definition of an adequate education. This means if an entity requires transportation of students at a particular distance from the school, then transportation must be part of the adequacy definition. Otherwise, the burden to continue to meet state and federal mandates falls mostly on the shoulders of the local municipality and, in turn, straining local resources. This also includes any requirements that traditional public schools are to provide services or programs to non-traditional schools and students. E.g. If the state requires the traditional public schools to provide services to charter schools then that is part of the cost of an adequate education. If the state requires traditional public schools to provide services & courses to EFA students then that is part of the cost of an adequate education. If the state requires a vote on a school cap and there is an added cost related to implementing that school cap then that is part of an adequate education. The NH Legislation should understand that each and every time they add a rule, regulation, standard etc. which carries an associated cost then Concord must pay at least a share of that cost.
DEFINING ADEQUATE EDUCATION
PRESERVING WATER QUALITY & NATURAL RESOURCES
We must protect the Granite State for NH Residents of today and the next generations.
For those of us in District 7 (Ossipee, Tuftonboro, Wolfeboro), it is clear there is an increasing danger of climate change impacting the conservation of our important natural resources including our lakes and ponds. Each time there is a Cyanobacteria outbreak, there is an impact on our local community from the safety of those entering the water to financial uncertainty if summer tourism - an important aspect of our region's economy - is negatively impacted. We must work together to find and maintain solutions to such problems for the future of generations to come.
CYANOBACTERIA
RESPECT RIGHTS & LOCAL CONTROL
NH Residents deserve the right to
Coming soon.
VOTING RIGHTS
Coming soon.