First things first: We’re gathering feedback on this newsletter, and I’d love your honest take. If you’ve got a minute, click here and tell us what you think.

Second, did you see that Wallet Hub just ranked the states by property taxes, and no shocker here—New Hampshire is WAY up there? We’ve got the fourth-highest tax rate in the country, right after New Jersey, Illinois, and Connecticut.

Here’s the breakdown:

On top of that, the median home value in New Hampshire is $402,000. That means the average Granite Stater is paying around $6,667 a year in property taxes. 😵‍💫

If you’re up for it, reply to this email and tell us how much YOU’RE paying in property taxes.

🏡 Check out this map and breakdown Wallet Hub put together to see how we stack up against the rest of the country.

Here’s what else we’re covering today:

📰 What we’re reading, news from around the state

📢 We asked, you answered: Should New Hampshire have open school enrollment?

🔍 Question of the week: How are you evaluating Trump?

💪 5 NH women-owned businesses to support every week in March

P.S. If this made your inbox better, it’ll probably do the same for a friend. Forward away.

👉 UNH poll shows most important issues in New Hampshire according to Granite Staters. WMUR

“Twenty-two percent of respondents said housing is the most important issue facing New Hampshire. This percentage has fallen to its lowest level since February 2023.”

👉 NH Secretary of State Scanlan says meeting with FBI on 2026 elections was ‘routine.’ New Hampshire Bulletin 

“New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, the state’s chief election official, said a virtual meeting he had with federal officials was ‘a routine meeting.’ In an email obtained by the Bulletin earlier this month, the FBI invited Scanlan and other election officials from across the United States to a Feb. 25 phone call to “discuss our preparations” for November’s midterm elections.”

👉 NH Secretary of State Scanlan says meeting with FBI on 2026 elections  Judge denies state request in car inspection lawsuit. New Hampshire Public Radio

“New Hampshire has lost another round in a federal lawsuit seeking to force the state to preserve its mandatory vehicle inspection program.”

This week, we asked readers: Should New Hampshire have open school enrollment?

Here’s what you had to say…

“No! This is further proof that the Republicans are trying to dismantle public education in this state. With our existing tax structure, this would mean death for some towns. NO!” — Janet Schwartz

“No I believe it would cause a burden on the individual towns. If they choose to use other districts they should pay.” — Edward Fleming

“This bill does not address the underlying problem with school funding in local districts. New Hampshire’s long-standing reliance on property taxes to fund education has consistently benefited students in wealthier communities. This bill would only continue that trend, promoting opportunities for families who can afford to transport their children to more affluent districts. It’s also easy to predict that many students would gravitate toward schools with stronger athletic programs. What does this bill do to encourage students to value and contribute to the communities where they live? At best, it misses the mark. Legislators would be far more effective if they focused their time and effort on developing a fair and equitable solution to public education funding in New Hampshire.” — Holly Huxtable Patterson

“Absolutely not. I pay enough in property taxes and I feel strongly that tax money should stay local. If a family wants to do something outside their local school district they can. Just not on local property tax money. At the very lease, private schools are definitely not to be funded by tax money.” — Eileen Copeland

“Absolutely not. We have many towns in NH this year who are drastically under budgetary pressure. They are having to drop programs and increase teacher class loads. I realize that NH’s federal funding has been drastically cut but the towns are already hurting from the cuts in funding and this is definitely not the time for this bill.” — Jackie LeBlanc

“No! We are already paying for enrollment in private schools, which is straining school district budgets. Keep kids in their home school district unless their educational needs can only be met elsewhere (such as special needs that cannot be addressed locally). Keep kids local. If you have concerns about the quality of your child’s education, contact your school board and become an active participant in your child’s education.” — Fran Harriman

“I see two major problems here. First, local school boards understand their own situations best and need to retain some control over how their schools are managed. Second, the ultimate goal should be for all children to receive a quality public school education that prepares them either for further education or to enter the workforce — whichever path suits them best. It seems to me that the most effective way to accomplish this is to ensure that all school districts have the same amount of funding to spend per pupil. That would require shifting funds from wealthier areas to poorer ones. Shuffling individual students back and forth between districts strikes me as stressful, inefficient and costly. At least in the early years, children should attend school with others from their immediate area. The current system of funding and enrollment appears to be a patchwork that has developed over time. In short, the state legislature needs to hammer out a compromise plan that allows each citizen to contribute proportionally to a shared pool that funds each student equally in facilities within their own community. While some aspects of the present system may still work, the entire structure needs to be examined thoughtfully rather than altered through piecemeal fixes.” — JoAnn Carlson

“Absolutely not. Open enrollment has the potential to raise property taxes in sending towns, and my property taxes are already too high. It could also create chaotic scheduling for schools. The solution is for the state to equitably fund our public schools—New Hampshire ranks 50th in the nation for state education funding—and improve all schools equally. If all schools are of equally high quality, the problem is solved. There would be no need for open enrollment.” — Denise Clark

“The straightforward answer is no. The legislative majority is constantly putting forth schemes to remove any semblance of local control from New Hampshire town governments. These efforts often have the parallel objective of shifting the cost of governance onto towns rather than using the state budget to pay for state mandates. “Open Enrollment” is just another one of these schemes, and for this majority, it has the added advantage of disrupting the educational process across the state.” — Mike E.

President Donald Trump gave his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

His overall approval rating is low—multiple polls show it sits around 40%.

Before he spoke, a majority of voters—about 65%—said they think Trump has overstepped his authority by signing a flurry of controversial executive orders in his first year back in office.

There’s also slipping confidence on key issues. People aren’t feeling great about his use of military force abroad, his handling of the Epstein files, or ICE’s immigration raids.

So what does that mean for the midterms?

A Republican pollster in Washington told Politico something worth thinking about:

“He is currently at his lowest point in the second term. There’s a sense that this is a pretty chaotic administration and seems to remind people of the pandemic period in the first term,” said Whit Ayres. He pointed out that historically, presidential approval ratings have been useful in predicting midterm outcomes:

“When it’s above 50 percent, the party loses seats but not that many. When the president’s job approval is below, the average loss of seats is 32, Ayres told Politico. 

And after the speech, House Speaker Mike Johnson didn’t sugarcoat it when he spoke with Newsmax:

“If we lost the midterms—heaven forbid—if we lost the majority in the House, it would be the end of the Trump presidency in real effect.”

So this week’s question is…

Which issue matters most to you in evaluating Trump:
military action, the Epstein files, immigration enforcement, or something else?

The all-women staff at The Suite Studio. (TARA Photography)

By Britteny Dee

To celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re highlighting five of our favorite female-founded small businesses and inviting you to support them.

Daisy Jack Studios, Hillsboro
A family-owned paint-your-own pottery studio run by Sarah Toles and her mother, Jacki.

“The studio is small and cozy, so it feels more like a one-on-one experience, and our customers often say that they love the vibe,” Toles told us.

Super Secret Ice Cream, Bethlehem
A small-batch ice cream company founded by Kristina Zontini that prioritizes real ingredients sourced from local partners.

“Running a small business has been a wild ride, but it’s so fun to come to work every day,” Zontini shared. “We have an incredibly dedicated and talented staff that care about our community and work really hard to make great ice cream.”

The Suite Studio, Dover
A women-owned and women-led fitness studio co-owned by Jess Keefe and Jackie Garnett, offering a wide range of group fitness classes.

“Owning a gym became terrifying during the pandemic, as nobody knew when or if people would be willing to sweat together again. The crisis became a unique opportunity for me to buy an established fitness studio,” she told us.

The Country Bookseller, Wolfeboro
An independent bookstore owned by Jeanne Snowdon, continuing a legacy of women ownership since 1994.

“A few years prior, when we first moved to Wolfeboro, I had playfully told my husband, ‘If that store ever goes on the market, we’ll have to buy it,’” Snowdon told us.

“Now, I am the very fortunate third woman to own this charming bookstore, and all I can do is hope to continue nurturing this Wolfeboro treasure,” Snowdon shared.

Wine on Main, Concord
An independent wine shop and gathering space founded by Emma Stetson, featuring small-production and exclusive wines.

“New Hampshire doesn’t have many independent wine shops, and I’m so glad I can offer that. I also wanted to take the traditional retail model further and create a community space where people come together for events, tastings, and more,” Stetson told us.

Do you want to support Granite Post’s mission while showcasing your products or services to an engaged audience of 30,000+ subscribers?

Email advertise@couriernewsroom.com for more information.

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Katy Savage with stories from Wallet Hub and Britteny Dee. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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