County budget proposal up 7.6%

LACONIA — Belknap's state representatives, charged with overseeing the county budget, heard public input on the allocations proposed by commissioners, which are up 7.6% over last year, at their meeting on Tuesday night. 

Peter Spanos, chair of the county commission, told representatives the proposed budget increase works out to an additional $46 in taxes paid on a $600,000 home. 

Total expenses are up 7.8%, from $37.6 million to $40.5 million. Total revenue is also up 8%, from $13.9 million to $14.44 million over last budget year. The amount to be raised by taxes is $24.1 million, representing an increase of 7.6%.

Some 80% of the increase is attributed to cost of living adjustments, fixed wages, step-up increases and insurance. Wages and benefits for staff make up about half of the increases.

The commissioners' goals, Spanos said, are to stabilize or reduce property taxes, and continue to provide necessary services to the community. 

“The purpose of the county, as you know, is to maintain a certain level of public services,” Spanos said. “We need to have a sheriff’s department, obviously, law enforcement. We need a courthouse, to enforce the laws. We need a jail. The nursing home is very, very important, because a lot of those there don’t have the means to go elsewhere to private care.”

Tuesday’s meeting was the first of an involved and lengthy budget process. A budget committee will meet numerous times, going over each line item with department heads. They will eventually make their recommendations to the broader delegation which will, in turn, take a vote on the county budget. 

The county delegation is made up of all elected representatives to the Statehouse.

“You have pointed out that approximately half of the 7.6% increase — so around 3.87% — is due to contractual obligations. Wages, salaries, benefits,” Rep. Paul Terry (R-Alton) said. “Which, therefore, leaves about 3.8% to be discussed going forward. Just to put it in perspective.” 

Included in the commissioners' proposal are modest improvements to the county jail which, they learned earlier this year, requires extensive work or eventual replacement. On the list are replacement or repair of 60 windows and sealant, rebalancing the hot water and air systems, control valves and duct cleaning. 

“The lion’s share of capital projects that we’re looking at are attributed to the jail,” Spanos said. “We’re all aware the Belknap County Jail is an aging facility and needs some attention.” 

Budget recommendations for outside agencies are increased in some cases, and level-funded in others. For the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, commissioners recommend allocating $182,500, an increase from $82,500. For the Belknap County Conservation District, the recommendation is up from $25,000, to $60,000. Commissioners recommended no change to the Community Action Program at $56,000. There is no recommendation of funding Court Appointed Special Advocates of New Hampshire or Tilton/Northfield Recreation. 

For Lakes Region Mental Health Center, the recommendation is the same, $16,000, though a representative of their board requested that figure be increased to $32,000, the amount the nonprofit organization received in 2024. 

Ann Nichols, a board member of LRMHC, told representatives county funds are “really critical to our agency” and, because about 70% of their funds are Medicaid-supported, they and other agencies are under “extreme financial stress.” 

The organization served over 2,000 people in Belknap County last year, Nichols said, and they provided over $600,000 in uncompensated charity care. 

“Our request for the $32,000 was halved, as you are aware, the last budget year. I am not privy to the conversations that happened as to why it was halved, but I will say that restoring the $32,000 is really critical to our agency,” Nichols said. “If you read our application, you know that at least 70% of our revenue comes from Medicaid. And we all know that we’re unsure about what Medicaid funding is going to look like in the coming years.”