Hillsborough District 27 includes Deering and Francestown.
Voters will choose between two candidates for one seat. Independent candidate Tim Coffin is running against Republican incumbent Mary Murphy in the general election.
Tim Coffin
Party affiliation: Independent
What town/city do you live in? Francestown
Political experience: None
Professional experience: Retired from a career in municipal finance.
Community service experience: Francestown Budget Advisory Committee, Francestown Land Trust
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? No
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? Prepare NH to take full advantage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the broad federal housing law enacted this July. It supports manufactured housing, converting vacant buildings into homes, disaster recovery and more, but the money will go to states and communities that are ready.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? Immigration enforcement is a federal job. Towns shouldn’t interfere with federal agents who do that work, but state law shouldn’t require local police to do it either. Decisions about how to use local officers should be made locally.
Do you support the Education Freedom Accounts program? No
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all? Most Granite Staters believe abortion should be legal. Decisions about pregnancy belong to women and their doctors, not politicians in Concord. I will vote to keep abortion safe, legal and accessible in NH under current law, which protects access through 24 weeks, and I will oppose any further restrictions.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why? I would repeal the Education Freedom Account program and phase out support for families currently enrolled. The program is running well over budget, and its enrollment cap has so many exemptions that it does little to control costs. It moves public money to private uses without enough oversight, putting more pressure on school funding and local property taxes.
NH consistently struggles with funding its government and services. What is one way you would raise state revenue, and what is one area you would cut expenses? Be specific. When the state cuts its own revenue, the cost of essential services shifts to local property taxpayers. To raise revenue, I would restore the interest and dividends tax at its former 5% rate, with higher exemptions than before to protect seniors of modest means. Most of the tax was paid by households with large investment incomes, and restoring it would bring in roughly $100 million a year. To cut spending, I would end the Education Freedom Account program, which is on track to cost more than $110 million over this two-year budget, roughly $30 million more than lawmakers set aside, while phasing out support for families currently enrolled.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? The state should pay a much larger share of school costs, starting with the full cost of an adequate education and its fair share of special education. NH pays a smaller share than any other state, leaving property taxpayers to cover more than 70%. Towns keep filling that gap because their citizens know good schools are essential to our prosperity and our democracy. Some in Concord argue that school boards are driving up our taxes, but schools face the same rising costs we all do. If NH truly wants to lower property taxes, it should start by doing what the courts have ordered for decades: fully funding the public education it owes every child, instead of pushing that cost onto local homeowners.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? The biggest issue facing NH is polarized politics that put party loyalty ahead of the practical needs of our small towns. When Concord fights over national talking points, issues like school funding, property taxes, roads and local services get left behind. I’m running because I believe Deering and Francestown are ready to move past that. I’m committed to bringing a more respectful, solutions-focused approach to Concord.
Find more information at the candidate’s website: timcoffinnh.com
Mary Murphy
Party affiliation: Republican
What town/city do you live in? Francestown
Political experience: State Representative, Hillsborough District 27
Professional experience: Award-winning careers in technology, education, finance and healthcare. CEO of a healthcare cost containment company. Track record of problem-solving, leading teams and consensus-building.
Community service experience: State Representative, Francestown Fire Department Auxiliary, Deering 250th Celebration Volunteer.
Policy Positions
Should NH legalize recreational marijuana use and possession? We should learn from others’ mistakes. Early adopting states are expressing regret. MA is seeking to repeal legalization. OK Governor Stitt declared the 2018 legalization experiment a failure, citing increases in youth marijuana usage, emergency department visits and poison control calls as evidence of a broken system.
What is the No. 1 action the Legislature should take to address the housing shortage? I don’t want to overdevelop NH. A multi-pronged approach is required. I support all EXCEPT state mandates. I have consistently voted for local zoning control, frequently against my party position.
How involved should NH government and law enforcement be in immigration enforcement? NH is a border state and should cooperate with federal law enforcement agencies in the normal course of their duties and when requested.
Do you support the Education Freedom Accounts program? Yes. The NH Department of Education argued that if all current EFA recipients suddenly returned to the public school system, local property taxpayers would face hundreds of millions of dollars in cumulative new local tax liabilities to fund their return. Banning EFAs will increase property taxes, guaranteed.
To what extent should NH restrict abortion, if at all? Abortion is not on the ballot. The governor has stated she will veto any bills for or against changing existing law. I will not initiate or support bills to change existing law.
What is one law currently on the books in NH that you would repeal, and why? I would repeal the application of the Consumer Protection Act (RSA 358-A) to B2B Transactions. This type of litigation should be moved to a newly established Court of Chancery. Removing B2B transactions from RSA 358-A would eliminate a massive source of high-stakes, expensive litigation and lower insurance costs for NH businesses, all without stripping fraud protections from vulnerable, everyday consumers.
NH consistently struggles with funding its government and services. What is one way you would raise state revenue, and what is one area you would cut expenses? Be specific. My NH Advantage 2.0 strategy to lower cost to do business and establish a Court of Chancery provides a new source of revenue that does not raise anyone’s tax rates, nor does it require new property, sales, or income taxes. It has bipartisan support and would allow the state to begin cutting property taxes. House Ways & Means discussed this in committee meetings 09/10/2026 and 09/30/2026, and WILL RECOMMEND THIS AS NH’s PATH FORWARD to changing education and other funding. I would recommend eliminating some state mandates to allow towns to reduce school administrative positions, salaries and benefits. I would also recommend moving some school administrative tasks, such as payroll, to town administration which also runs payroll to reduce redundant costs.
As people across the state struggle with their local school tax bills, what role should the state play in funding education? House Ways & Means will be recommending the NH Advantage 2.0 Blueprint as the long-term strategy to replace the use of property taxes to fund our education system. Delaware funds 40% of their entire government just based on the Court of Chancery part of this strategy. A temporary bill will be developed to address shorter-term needs to increase the amount of state aid, but there is no consensus on details because I will not agree to have Francestown and Deering local taxes transferred to the state and other towns.
Aside from those mentioned above, what do you believe is the biggest issue facing the state today? Healthcare accessibility and cost. We are tied as the third oldest state in the country. We need a solution to our healthcare accessibility and cost issues, and I will be submitting some bills in November to provide solutions in 2027.
Find more information at the candidate’s website: https://MaryMurphyNH.com
