SOMERSWORTH - It has been a difficult budget season for cities as officials try to mitigate the challenges of the pandemic and plan for the year ahead. Somersworth City Council passed its budget earlier this month, after many long discussions on how to keep the property tax rate stable and invest in infrastructure projects the city needs.
At its April 12 meeting, the City Council unanimously approved a tax cap-compliant $50,392,379 operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which came in $32,358 under its tax cap.
"The debate on this budget did not involve around cuts, it instead involved how we could spend a small amount of what was left over that would not have put us over the tax cap," Mayor Dana Hilliard said. "This budget reaches the tax cap, and at the same time it really ensures that we're investing in Somersworth, so it will continue to stay on the move. We have met our obligations and continue to progress this city forward and at the same time to ensure that Somersworth will be affordable for the residents moving forward."