By MICHELLE KIM
Goffstown News Correspondent
 

GOFFSTOWN - Despite a higher than estimated town portion of the tax rate, this year’s overall tax rate will be nearly the same, at only 2 cents more than last year’s rate.

The overall tax rate for 2007, which was approved by the board of selectmen Oct. 9, is set at $24.70 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, compared to last year’s rate of $24.68. This means the owner of a $200,000 house would pay an estimated property tax of $4,940, or $4 more than last year.

The town portion of the tax rate rose by 59 cents, or 7.2 percent, from $8.22 to $8.81. The initial estimate that had been given back in February did not include the new exemptions for the elderly and the increased percentage of land use change tax into the conservation fund, said Town Administrator Sue Desruisseaux. 

The elderly exemptions and conservation fund changes together make up 22 cents of the 59-cent increase.

The rest of the increase comes from various warrant articles, said Desruisseaux.

However, the town portion increase was equally offset by a 59-cent decrease in the local school portion, which dropped 4.8 percent from $12.35 to $11.76.

“On the expenditure side, we didn’t spend as much as we anticipated, and on revenue side, we received more than we expected,” said Superintendent Darrell Lockwood. 

The Goffstown School Administrative Unit did not spend as much on special education needs as it had anticipated and had some remaining unreserved fund balance. It also received more funding than expected in the form of a $6.4 million adequacy grant, said Lockwood.

After the adjusted estimates were presented Oct. 1, Selectman Scott Gross pointed out the great impact school funding had on the entire tax rate and expressed interest in working more closely with the School Board. 

The state school portion and the county portion of the tax each rose by 1 cent, accounting for the overall tax rate increase of 2 cents.

Reproduced by the Goffstown Residents Association.