School rate drives 2.1% rise in Northfield tax rate

NORTHFIELD — The town tax rate increased by 2.08%, to $17.16 per thousand this year, despite the town portion showing a decrease of almost 24%.

Between 2024 and 2025, the town portion of the tax rate went down $1.06, from $4.43 to $3.37, a decrease of 23.93%. According to Town Administrator Stephanie Giovannucci, the selectboard voted to use $252,000 from the fund balance. If this had not been done, the town portion would have been $3.79.

Giovannucci said the town rate was already down $0.64 from last year, which was due to some added valuations, but mostly because they have been careful to keep the budget low.

She said instead of funding all open positions in January, hiring has been staggered, and some have been put off altogether until next year.

“It was basically that,” Giovannucci said. “Payroll is most — well quite a bit — of our budget, so knowing we wouldn’t be able to hire everyone in January, we staggered it.”

There were also minimal decreases in the state education portion — $1.28 to $1.27 — and county rate, $1.91 to $1.87.

The Winnisquam Regional School District increase from $7.15 to $8.28, or 15.8%, was the difference maker. The Tilton-Northfield Fire District also increased $0.33, to $2.37, or a 16.18% rise.

“Basically, those increases are the only reasoning to utilize the fund balance,” Giovannucci said. “If it was just the billing for the town, we wouldn’t have bothered using the fund balance.”

The fund balance functions like reserves that can be used by the town for unanticipated expenses.

Giovannucci said town leaders will continue to spread out the filling of open positions in 2026, and also be prudent with their spending when it comes to the budget. She was happy with the way the town has kept their rate figures down, but hopes the fire and school districts can follow suit.

“I think the town as a whole is doing the job needed to keep the tax rate down, and it would be great if the other districts did the same.”

A message left with Winnisquam Business Administrator Rebecca Weldon was not immediately returned.

The total tax commitment increased 5.03% to $10.6 million, and the town’s net valuation is $628.6 million, which is an increase of 2.66%. The net valuation without utilities is $594.3 million, which is a decrease of only 0.71%.

Tax bills have been mailed out, and are due on Monday, Jan. 12.