New Hampshire

Windham tax rate rises nearly 12 percent

By Terry Date
tdate@eagletribune.com
Published: October 21, 2008

WINDHAM — The owner of a typical home in town will see a property tax increase of about $800, or almost 12 percent.

Town Manager Dave Sullivan told the selectmen last night that the state Department of Revenue Administration set the local tax rate at $18 per $1,000 of property valuation compared with the 2007 rate of $16.10.

The increase raised a few eyebrows and drew a few deep breaths when announced to the Board of Selectmen at its meeting.

Sullivan said a small overall gain in assessed valuation, about 1.5 percent, as opposed to the typical increase of about 4 percent, diminished the town's ability to offset the tax increase.

The school portion of the tax accounted for the largest increase, rising from $9.98 to $11.41. The town rate increased to $3.51 from $3.01 last year.

Meanwhile, the state education property tax rate decreased to $2.20 from last year's $2.22. And the Rockingham County tax rate dropped a penny to 88 cents.

The town's median assessment for a home is about $400,000, Sullivan said.

This represents little change from the median assessment two years ago of $404,200.

The state set the town's rate Friday. Bills are typically due within 30 days of being sent.

No announcement was made on when the bills will be mailed.