Reporting critique – Francestown’s Oct. 7 debate

As a new subscriber and a metrics-oriented reader, I closely analyzed the Oct. 13 article, “Taxes, energy, education dominate political forum,” covering the Oct. 7 Francestown debate between New Hampshire Senate and House candidates. By measuring the word count attributed to each side, a stark imbalance emerged: 261 words covered Republican candidates Mary Murphy and Jim Creighton, while 524 words – exactly double – focused on their opposition. This raises a serious question about fair, balanced reporting.

Furthermore, the coverage omitted crucial context surrounding the tax debate. While local property taxes are viewed as high, the article failed to mention that New Hampshire is the second-lowest-taxed state in the nation, surpassed only by Alaska because New Hampshire and Alaska are the only two states without a highly regressive general sales or personal income tax. Additionally, property taxes reflect decisions made by local voters; taxes are high because municipalities voted to make them so.

The largest portion of property taxes funds education, even as school enrollments decline and the ranks of highly paid school administrators remain large. Both Murphy and Creighton support HB #1300 to address this structural problem, while the opposition candidates have offered no plan.

The New Hampshire Constitution establishes a clear obligation to provide an adequate education to school-age children, and parents have a right to seek the best outcomes for their families. While high-income parents can readily choose private schools, Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) give lower-income parents the funds to move their children out of underperforming schools, helping the state meet its educational goals. Both options ultimately ease pressure on local public schools by reducing student populations and associated costs. Both Murphy and Creighton support EFAs; their opponents do not. Readers deserve coverage that gives these policy distinctions equal weight and full economic context.

David Delorey, Francestown