Tax Rates

[bigdog]

Hello....

I'm planning to make a home purchase in the near future somewhere in the Lakes Region. It may or may not be, at "Winnie"? Could be Winnisquam, Crystal, Suncook, Webster, Waukewan lakes areas.

My first choice may be in the Winnisquam area, which would place me in the towns of Tilton, Laconia, Belmont, and Meredith.

Is there a central source where I can find the "tax rate" for areas towns ?
That being said, are there certain towns I may want to avoid because
of over-inflated tax bills ?

Thanks!

[ossipeeboater]

Originally Posted by bigdog

Hello....

I'm planning to make a home purchase in the near future somewhere in the Lakes Region. It may or may not be, at "Winnie"? Could be Winnisquam, Crystal, Suncook, Webster, Waukewan lakes areas.

My first choice may be in the Winnisquam area, which would place me in the towns of Tilton, Laconia, Belmont, and Meredith.

Is there a central source where I can find the "tax rate" for areas towns ?
That being said, are there certain towns I may want to avoid because
of over-inflated tax bills ?

Thanks!

here's the 2006 tax rates. Remember rate isn't the only thing it's how close to true value your assessed at. A town with a 20 per thousand rate may be cheaper tahn one with a $17 per that has actually done a good job valuing the properties.

http://www.nh.gov/revenue/property_t...6tax_rates.rtf

[AC2717]

yeah stay away from all of them the taxes are crazy,

j/k the area is beautiful, good luck

[feb]

I believe around Winnisquam that Sanbornton and Laconia both have high tax burdens. I live in Meredith and believe that they do a pretty good job at keeping the taxes "affordable". Not sure about Belmont or Tilton, they are both a pretty small portion of Winnisquam.

Webster is a nice small lake too. Franklin is a pretty old run-down city (although they are trying to change that) but I suspect that taxes are pretty high because there isn't alot of commercial tax revenue nor much tourist revenue to "offset" property taxes.

[fatlazyless]

If I remember correctly, 42% of all the Meredith property tax payers are non-residents and their payments are 80% of the town's total. 15 years ago, it was 48% of all property tax payers who were non-residents so this number has come down a little. So, that's a good reason why the property tax is so popular amoung many of the residents who vote. Someone else is footing the bill, plus many resident-voters are themselves or have a relative employed by the town.

Along the stretch of Winnipesaukee waterfront where I live, about ten out of twelve homes are used very little and are basically unoccupied from Labor Day to Memorial Day.

[ossipeeboater]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

If I remember correctly, 42% of all the Meredith property tax payers are non-residents and their payments are 80% of the town's total. 15 years ago, it was 48% of all property tax payers who were non-residents so this number has come down a little. So, that's a good reason why the property tax is so popular amoung many of the residents who vote. Someone else is footing the bill, plus many resident-voters are themselves or have a relative employed by the town.

Along the stretch of Winnipesaukee waterfront where I live, about ten out of twelve homes are used very little and are basically unoccupied from Labor Day to Memorial Day.

15 years ago the difference between on the water and off the water values was not as dramatic as today whcih is why the amount being carried by the lakefront owners has gone up. Do you think property owners in NH should support a tax system that screws them for the benefit of the second home owners, second homes are a luxury not a necessity if you don't liek what it costs you sell it. The system should benefit those that live and work there and the fact is for someone living and working in NH the current system works better for them than a sales and income tax based system that also includes a fairly substantial property tax like the states surrounding us.

[offmycloud]

Tuftonboro taxes are very cheap - it is a nice town as well. I have a three bedroom home on the market there for $449K. I pay about $2K per year in taxes. We are planning to be on the lake next summer where I'll pay six times that!

Tuftonboro is well-run, too. They always vote down tax increases, great recycling/trash center, good fire and police, library, and schools. It is a very pretty/classy town and borders the lake.

[phoenix]

moultonboro has soon of the lowest tax rates due to the large amount of waterfront land

[secondcurve]

Ossipeeboater:

I think folks in NH should support a tax system that is fair and equitable. It isn't healthy to have one group of people freeload off another group of people in the long run. I beleive that that is called socialisim in its extreme.

[camp guy]

Ah, yes, the age old topic of 'tax free New Hampshire' is sure to bring forth many views, some personal horror stories, and a renewal of the on-going debate about taxes in general. Of course, what you actually end up paying in taxes is the product of a formula which includes your home assessment, the overall assessment of the town, and the cost of running the town. These figures are provided to the State and the State calculates the rate for the Town. Then the rate is applied to each individual property and that is what you pay, less any reductions due to age, veterans status, or other conditions. The rate is expressed as dollars per thousand, however, just looking a listing of each town's rate will not give you a fair comparison. A "shack" on watefront land will bring big bucks, and conversely, a very comfortable home well off the water will be rather modest in taxes. Several posters have mentioned to be aware of the differences. My advice is to look carefully at each Town with respect to what YOU want from the Town for you and your family, and the study that Town more carefully. Good Luck to you.

[Ropetow]

Taxes in Alton appear to be very reasonable.

[Irish mist]

Meredith is a well-run town, and taxes are decent for the area. Forget Laconia & Gilford. Gilford used to be a low tax town but now they just must have everything new......a new library, a new high school, a new police station, a new football field. And if that's not enough, they have more on the agenda. Meredith seems to have a better grip on its spending.
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Marijuana Bubbler

[newbie]

Does anyone have the tax rates by town? Much appreciated

[Paugus Bay Resident]

Gilford used to be a low tax town but now they just must have everything new......a new library, a new high school, a new police station, a new football field.

All of which, so far, have been voted down.

[fatlazyless]

Reading the Laconia Daily Sun over the past six months tells me that Gilford is an SB2 town and Meredith is a town meeting town. SB2, or Senate Bill 2, means the annual town vote is held by an all-day anonymous paper ballot. A town meeting vote is held late at night, like at midnight, at the end of the town meeting by a show of hands and a hand count.

By virtue of its' local resident accessibility, the SB2 vote tends to gets get a much higher participation with more resident-voters going to the polls, typically open from 7am to 7pm, as opposed to attending a three or four hour town meeting and then voting at its' close sometime around midnight.

Gilford has recently voted no to a new police station and library. Meredith has recently said yes to a new police station and community center.

As Meredith selectman Bob Flanders said according to the LaDaSun about a month ago, to paraphrase; 'If people care, they should come to the town meeting and vote!.'

.................................................. ...

Did I get this state-wide local voting information correct or am I full of baloni?

[Paugus Bay Resident]

I believe you are correct FLL

The traditional town meeting in New Hampshire may slowly be on its way out as more and more towns adopt SB2, a form of local government that has been around since 1996 and allows residents to vote on town and school district warrants at the polls instead of in town and school district meetings. Sixty of New Hampshire's 221 towns have adopted SB2 and only a handful have reverted back.

I think it has definitely made a difference in terms of voter participation. Irish Mist, not sure what you mean about Gilford. As I mentioned all the initiatives you noted were voted down (some multiple times). And based on recent elections, selectmen have probably gotten the word.

In all honesty, we probably do need a new football field as anyone whose been to the current one (especially during a wet period) can attest.

[ossipeeboater]

Originally Posted by newbie

Does anyone have the tax rates by town? Much appreciated

i posted that in the first response.

[RLW]

Originally Posted by Paugus Bay Resident

Irish Mist, not sure what you mean about Gilford.

That sounds good right now. I like mine on ice.

[Irish mist]

I believe the Giford library will be built with private money, and taken over by the taxpayers, and did not Gilford just add on, and esentially rebuild the high school ? If not......my bad My take on Gilford is that the trend over there is moving to a higher, more activist group of people pushing for more & more services like funding fooball at the high school by taxpayers which they promised not to do.

Meredith, even with the new building, has a better tax climate than Giford now, or in the future IMO. I like Gilford BTW......beautiful town. But to address the question by the member I think Gilford has a strong group of activists that over time are going to get most of what they want, and drive taxes up.
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VAPORIZER SHOP

[moose tracks]

If your property is on the water you are going to pay big bucks. A house very similar to mine but not on the water pays about half of what I pay in taxes. It hurts when you cut the check for the taxes but when you are looking out on the lake at night from your porch, it makes it all worth while.