Impact of elderly tax exemptions 20% of town estimates
April 13, 2007

GOFFSTOWN - As the March 2007 vote approached, John Burpee, chairman of the local committee for elderly tax relief, had presented selectmen with a detailed plan for revising the prior exemption levels and comprehensive estimates on the potential tax impact, which the committee had estimated at approximately $300,000 to $400,000.  The town came up with its own estimate, however, putting the potential tax impact figure as high as $1.2 million.

Fortunately for Goffstown's taxpayers, it appears both of them were wrong.

At Monday's meeting of the board of selectmen, Town Administrator Sue Desruisseaux reported that the newly-revised tax exemptions for Goffstown's elderly citizens (passed as Article 20 by a margin of 1,823 to 706 last March) are now expected to result in a $210,891 shift in the tax rate, well below both Burpee's and the town's estimates.  That figure is based on the current 2006 tax rate and could change when the new 2007 rate is set this fall.

Desruisseaux said the number of exemptions granted this year could reach as high as 142, nearly three times the number granted last year (55). The figure includes includes applications already approved, the 71 granted by members of the Board of Selectmen at their meeting Monday night, and others pending until the filing deadline of Monday, April 16.

According to Desruisseaux, elderly tax exemptions accounted for $1.8 million being taken off the total assessed value in town last year.  This year, that figure is expected to be somewhere near $9 million. 

During the meeting, Desruisseaux also reported that there were 36 applications from residents 65 to 74 years of age, 53 from those in the 75 to 80 age group, and 53 more from residents 80 and older.

As a result of the passage of Article 20, residents 65 to 75 years old are exempted from $45,000 in assessed property value; 75 to 80 years old are exempted from $60,000, and those over than 80 are exempted from $80,000.  Article 20 also set new income and asset levels for qualification, and increased the amount of property elderly residents are allowed to have exempted from their assessed property values.

The deadline for filing is April 16, 2007.  For more information, contact the Town Assessing Department at 497-8990, ext. 112, or visit the town web site at http://www.ci.goffstown.nh.us/.

Copyright© 2007, Goffstown Residents Association.  All Rights Reserved.