November 13, 2009
 
Unexpected windfall lowers tax rate

GOFFSTOWN - The tax rate in Goffstown has dropped by $1.02 from 2008.  That sets the rate at $21.67 per $1,000, thanks largely to unexpected revenue windfall for the Goffstown school district.

For a home valued at $300,000, the savings for the year will be $306. The town rate is $8.68; the local education rate is $9.50; the state education rate is $2.41; and the county rate is $1.08.

Citing what he called an unexpected "tremendous windfall" received by the school district, Scott Gross, chairman of the Board of Selectman, recently told the Goffstown News, “Any little bit helps right now, and most taxpayers are going to see a $200 to $400 decrease in their tax bill.” 

In addition to the unexpected revenue windfall, the school district also received grant money.

Gross credited careful spending and the influx of the school district windfall and grant money for the lower tax rate.

“We have been fairly conservative in the last couple of years in our spending and also tried to be aggressive in trying to get grants to get some of our funding.” Gross said he did not think the town was “out of the woods yet.”

“We’re not immune to rising costs. We’re challenged right now as we prepare our 2010 budget, we’re very challenged to keep our budget in check.”

But he said it was also important not to skimp on what needs to be done.

“We have to pick up the garbage. We have to patrol the streets. We have to put out the fires. And all of those things cost money,” he said.