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Strafford County delegation rejects proposed 2026 tax levy after heated debate over ICE funding
Summary
The delegation voted down a motion to accept a $46,029,128 2026 tax levy after extended debate over county revenue tied to housing ICE detainees, rising nursing-home costs and local tax-cap concerns; the vote was announced in the transcript as "Motion failed 29 to 4."
The Strafford County delegation voted against adopting the commissioners'proposed 2026 amount to be raised by taxation, $46,029,128, after hours of debate on March 4, 2026. The chair called the roll after extended discussion; the clerk announced the result as "Motion failed 29 to 4."
Why it matters: members said the vote was a protest and a policy statement as much as a fiscal decision. Several speakers said the county has become too reliant on revenue tied to federal detainee housing, and others warned that growing personnel and nursing-home costs are driving unsustainable increases in the county budget.
Alexander Miller, introduced during the session as the mover for debate, framed part of the opposition in moral terms and in economic…
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