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Originally Posted by Argie's Wife
Property taxes aren't collected just for the town but the school and state as well. For the past two years most schools and town have been trying to level fund their budgets. The problem is that some costs, such as contractual items (i.e. teachers' salaries, health insurance, FICA, NH State Retirement) can't be level-funded. So, cuts are made to operating budgets to compensate. Some of the "non-essentual" items, like fireworks, are seeing big cuts. That might sound odd, but in a tourist town like mine, it is fodder for a lot of discussion.
The other issue facing towns is unforeseen expenses that will cause a budget to go over with little or no notice. A big fire, such as the Christian Conference Center in Alton Bay burning, will take out a budget in no-time, as FEMA monies take a while to come in and are only a percent of the total money spent to serve and protect. Ditto for unforeseen energy costs and legal fees (cell towers, anyone?)
Take a look a the breakdown of your taxes and your assessments. If your assessments went down and your taxes went up, as for an explanation. It may not just be that the budget is higher - there's more going on at the state level than you might be aware of.... and by all means, get involved.
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AW:
Property taxes are going up because local officials refuse to cut pensions and 100% free health care benefits in the face of rising costs and slowing revenues (taxes). It is disappointing when local officials feel it is a god given right that tax payers provide benefits to town and state workers that the tax payers themselves do not receive from their employers.
I wish I could get involved but out of state property owners have no rights in the process.