January 29, 2010
 
Summary of 2010 School Articles

Goffstown residents will gather to discuss the 2010 school warrant Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 7 p.m., at Goffstown High School.  

Goffstown operates under the official ballot law, commonly known as SB2.  The Feb. 1 meeting will be a chance for voters to discuss and amend articles on the Town Warrant, but they will not be voted on until March 9.

The overall school tax rate has gone up 22 percent over the 2009 rate.  Last year, the rate was knocked down to $11.91 per $1,000 of assessed property value, due to the $3.3 million the school district returned to taxpayers, as required by law.  Of that amount, $2 million was funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the remaining $1.3 million is money unspent from the appropriated budget.

On Jan. 19, the Budget Committee cut an additional $307,511 from the school budget, bringing what was a 24 percent increase down to 22 percent.

The school district is looking at a tax rate of $14.53 per $1,000 assessed property value. The tax impact would be $720 on a $275,000 home.

Article 2 requests $35,627,392 for a school operating budget, as proposed by the Budget Committee. This is an increase of $966,745 over the 2009 budget.

The School Board, however, has requested a $36,464,921 operating budget, an increase of $1.8 million over the 2009 budget. 

Article 3 requests $215,000 for engineering and architectural plans to expand and renovate the elementary schools.

Article 4 requests $300,000 for the Bartlett Elementary School Capital Reserve Fund.

Articles 5, 6 and 7 are all articles that request no money from taxpayers.



RELATED INFORMATION:

• 2010 School Warrant 
• Your Guide to Deliberative Session 
• Summary of 2010 Town Articles
• 2010 Town Warrant
• New Hampshire RSA Chapter 40: GOVERNMENT OF TOWN MEETING