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Panel weighs changing rules for long‑term town property leases; sponsors propose 3/5 ballot threshold
Summary
HB 373 would let a town legislative body authorize select boards to enter leases of municipal property longer than five years by a 3/5 ballot vote; supporters said the change addresses practical difficulties for multi‑year projects, while municipal association warned of retroactivity and operational impacts.
The committee heard House Bill 373 on March 3, a proposal from Representative Diane Power to revise RSA 41:11‑a to permit legislative bodies (town voters) to authorize select boards to lease municipal property for terms longer than five years by a three‑fifths ballot vote.
Sponsor testimony outlined two practical examples. Representative Power described a Hampton Beach redevelopment where voters faced the prospect of a lease for a short unused road segment limited to five‑year increments; she also cited Brookline, where voters previously approved 13‑year leases and have had to reauthorize parts of those leases in five‑year steps. "For these reasons, I urge…
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