On the trail with Rep. Donna Mombourquette in New Boston, we heard repeated calls for property tax relief. It would be great if everyone understood that all that tax-cutting at the state level results in a down-shifting to your property tax bill. On February 14th, the House passed HB497 to reinstate a 15% contribution to the State employee retirement system. The decision to zero out the state’s funding (in 2011) shorted the funding and increased both local and individual contributions to make up the shortfall. The state obligation was historically 35%, with 65% on towns. HB497 is a modest compromise, but it puts some of the burden back on the state, and lowers the burden on our property taxes.
Since schools represent nearly 3/4s of all property tax bills, there are several stabilization and adequacy funding bills being reviewed to rebalance that handshake between state and local taxes as well.
A business can save a bundle by closing its doors, but that is not the point! The same is true for a state.
We need a stable environment for businesses and communities and support for the basics: schools, public safety, roads and healthcare. We are working hard to fix problems – feel free to get in touch.
