Forum, July 10: Proposed Hanover budget balances need for services with needs of taxpayers
Published: 7/9/2021 9:59:56 PM
Modified: 7/9/2021 10:00:06 PM
Proposed Hanover budget balances need for services with needs of taxpayers
At the business portion of Hanover’s Town Meeting on Tuesday, voters will face a bevy of appropriations-related warrant articles, $30.6 million in total, for fiscal year 2022. After revenues, the levy to taxpayers is $14.1 million. Tax rates, incorporating the Fire Fund, would increase just under 3% (17 cents on a base of $5.92 per assessed value of $1,000 prior to the increase). The Hanover Finance Committee voted unanimously on March 8 to support the town budget.
In setting the budget, the town faced significant, mostly externally driven, revenue and cost pressures: Multiple revenue streams were impacted by COVID-19 totaling more than $450,000 — an amount equal to 19 cents on the tax rate; cost drivers included a nearly $200,000 increase in required contributions to the New Hampshire Retirement System (9 cents), a $184,000, or 2%, increase in personnel costs for “steps” (8 cents) and the addition of approximately $90,000 (4 cents) in staffing costs previously paid for by the Bressett Fund but now to be borne by taxpayers as alternative funding was not achieved.