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Brentwood resident says 'taxation without representation' at coop budget hearing
Summary
Residents at the Exeter Region Cooperative School District budget hearing raised concerns about town representation, outreach to new and older residents and the local tax impact of the FY26 proposed budget; board members urged review of online materials and offered one-on-one follow-up.
At the budget hearing for the Exeter Region Cooperative School District, several residents challenged the district on representation and communication, particularly for smaller towns such as Brentwood.
"I think we have a pretty good case for taxation without representation," Liz Frio of Brentwood said, pressing the board on why few Brentwood representatives were present for a key budget meeting and asking how information reaches newer and older residents.
Administrators and board members said the SAU posts detailed line-item packets and presentations online and encouraged residents to review the material and contact staff. "We've tried to increase communication around budget… I'm everywhere on the web page, Esther Asbell, so we could make a one-on-one appointment," said a district administrator who offered to meet individually with residents to explain the budget and local impacts.
Residents also asked for up-to-date enrollment counts and town-by-town tax-rate impacts; administrators provided October 1 enrollment numbers (Exeter High School 1,372; approximate middle school 950) and said Molly O'Keefe could provide town-level tax-impact information.
The hearing included a range of perspectives: some callers urged tighter spending because overall enrollment has declined in some grades, while others thanked staff and the BAC for transparent materials and defended the district's approach to containing costs.
What happens next: Administrators said line-by-line budget materials and BAC presentations are posted on the SAU website. The board directed staff to continue outreach and to present tax-impact information ahead of the deliberative session.
