GOP leaders led the hearing on an amendment to CACR 12 that would permanently ban an income tax in New Hampshire if voters approve a change to the state Constitution with a steady chorus of: “No income tax, not now, not ever.”

Some gave no other testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday, just the same mantra that over the years has become known as “The Pledge” demanded of candidates from both parties who feared not getting elected if they even hinted at any new tax for New Hampshire.

But as more people grow concerned about dramatically increasing local property taxes and how much power Free Staters and libertarians have as Republicans in the Legislature shifting costs to local property taxpayers, the demand for a fair tax system is growing.

At the hearing Wednesday – essentially a do-over of the House vote on roughly the same measure that failed to get the required 60 percent of the vote five weeks ago – about 100 people gathered to testify Wednesday with Republican leaders marching to the anti-tax drumbeat for much of the hearing.

House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, R-Auburn, said; “We are affectionately referring to this as the New Hampshire Advantage Amendment.” He noted that it did not recently pass 60 percent muster in the House with a vote 198 to 154, but was worth revisiting.

Osborne, who moved to New Hampshire in 2010 as part of the Free State Movement, said: “When we disincentivize productive behavior – work, earning – our civilization becomes poor and people suffer. For years we’ve seen people move here from our neighboring states Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine.”

They come for many reasons, he said, such as quality of life, but the lack of an income tax is the main reason for many.

“Do we trust the people of New Hampshire to decide those issues for themselves by placing the question on the ballot?” Osborne asked. It would require a two-thirds majority vote to change the state constitution if it gets to the ballot.

Rep. Kelly Ayotte issued a press release Wednesday: “New Hampshire is a beacon of freedom and opportunity because we’ve held the line against an income tax. A constitutional amendment to make it permanent ensures our state won’t go the way of Massachusetts. No income tax — not now, not ever!”

Following the hearing, House Democratic Leader Alexis Simpson, D-Exeter, said: “Today’s hearing is further proof that Granite Staters are sick of Republican extremism and partisan political games in Concord.

“Repeated corporate tax cuts passed by the GOP have reduced revenue over a billion dollars over the past decade, forcing property taxpayers to pick up the tab. This stunt does nothing to change that.

“House Democrats are committed to delivering real results for Granite Staters by fighting for our Fair Chance Agenda. An income tax has not and will not be considered,” Simpson said.

The release said House Republicans filed over 500 bills for the 2026 session. A constitutional amendment banning an income tax wasn’t one of them – it wasn’t a top-500 policy issue to the GOP. This proposal was hastily introduced last month.

It also said the NH House has considered 22 constitutional amendments so far this year and passed zero.

Republicans know this November will be costly to them due to Trump’s unpopularity. This is a last-ditch effort to give a depressed party with unenthusiastic voters a reason to turn out, the release said.

Senate President Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry, greeted committee members and said:  

“My testimony is very short and to the point. No income tax, not now, not ever. Thank you very much,” she said, greeted by applause, which the attendees were asked to stop for the remainder of the hearing.

Rep. Ross Berry, R-Weare, said he was casually dressed at the hearing because he had to go back to work and explained why he was happy to do so.

“This is an income tax-free state. We get to keep what we earn,” Berry said. If you want New Hampshire to keep thriving, if you want people to keep moving here and starting their businesses you need to keep this in place, Berry said in support of the amendment.

Sen. Daryl Abbas, R-Salem, said the only people who support an income tax have the misconception it will lower their property taxes.

Committee member Rep. Susan Elberger, D-Nashua, asked Abbas about the Cut Our Property Taxes groups’ 3-3 tax plan presented last month by lawyer and school funding advocate Andru Volinsky. The plan prompted death threats on social media.

Elberger said using the plan’s tax calculator, her property taxes would go down $2,500.

It would create a 3 percent education income tax with a 3 percent statewide property tax the group says would lower local property taxes, help fund schools statewide, and raise $1 billion a year in revenue.

Abbas said he has seen the plan and insisted property taxes will still go up.

In an op-ed published on InDepthNH.org, Volinsky said: “The amendment makes William Loeb’s anti-tax pledge the law of the land for NH. It would be a huge mistake to tie the hands of all future leaders in this way, and that’s probably why the Jason Osborne Free State crowd supports the amendment.”

Laura Ruttle-Miller, a Keene city councilor, said she wants to reframe the question. It’s not about whether people love or hate taxes.

“This is about whether we are constitutionally going to restrict the ability of future lawmakes and voters” on how they decide to fund services, she said.

The House Ways and Means Committee will decide on a recommendation for the amendment when it meets April 27.