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Old 08-22-2019, 11:02 PM   #23
Descant
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I'm amazed at the lack of understanding here. The State of NH does not get any of the local property tax. In March, you pass a town budget. On April 1, assessments are set. Allowing time for all this to settle out, in October, the state sets a tax rate for each city/town. Tax bills go out in December. Most towns run on a calendar year. The state runs on a fiscal year, July 1, so there are some schedule differences. Yes, there is a statewide property tax for education which mostly goes back to the town it came from. In my mind, it's a little subterfuge to meet the requirement of the Claremont lawsuits for education funding. In addition, the state redistributes a portion of the Meals and Rooms tax BACK to the towns to help reduce the local property tax burden. The state also gives money back to towns for school building aid, low cost revolving loans for sewer an water infrastructure. There is also a Clean Drinking and Groundwater Trust fund from which the state gives low cost loans and GRANTS for water projects and land purchases to protect the watershed around water sources, such as ponds and wells. Let me think. What else? Moultonboro budgets $200K/year for milfoil control. The state matches a portion of that. DES develops control master plans and supervises management efforts. You get DASH (Diver Assisted Suction Harvesters) which were bought with donations, mostly raised by your local, Stewart Lamprey... All to benefit shorefront owners.

Your local tax rate is based mostly on local spending (Town Meeting Budget and SCHOOL budget, the big bucks.) If voters approve big budgets you get bigger taxes.

Business and industry do not get to vote on these budgets, only residents. In Moultonboro, shorefront non-residents are the industry. You pay taxes, but no vote. You can vote with your feet, and leave. There are plenty of folks willing to buy your house. If you think you are taxed unfairly compared to neighbors, there is an appeals process, first within the town and then to the state Bureau of Land Tax Appeals.

As an island resident (Gilford) I can use my property for only part of the year. I can't send my kids to school. But I pay taxes based on market/assessed value. Fortunately, the Gilford Island Association and the BOS work well together and we get nice docks, Glendale, dumpsters, a fire boat and other cooperative efforts. The non-resident shorefront owners in Moultonboro should consider forming an association to work with the town on common issues. Or have you already such a group and the whiners don't participate?
Here endeth the rant.
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