Dick Durkee

To the editor:

Several articles have appeared in the local papers quoting the Town Appraiser of making recommendations to our Selectmen and Town Administrator to increase assessments of property in Gilford by a whopping 20-percent. DRA has apparently made a recent evaluation which suggest that Gilford is not compliant with state requirements. The article went on to say that this increase would have minimal impact on the tax burden but was necessary because we in Gilford were only at 86-percent of fair market value when we should be in the high nineties or better.

Did we not just pass muster with the State and get very high marks? Is it not also true that the housing market is reasonably flat compared to the highs it has been recording in recent years and that asking prices are not being met? New housing starts are down by as much as 7-percent in some areas. Further it appears that it is taking two or more years to sell property as opposed to the recent rapid turnover rate. Assuming these things are true as reported by some of the major realtors in the state, then how did we get down to 86-percent of fair market value so quickly?

We think the idea that a 20-percent increase in assessments is potentially necessary is totally unacceptable to the voters in Gilford. Secondly we do not agree with the notion that it will have minimal bearing on property taxes. It is possible that the Gilford Tax Rate will be adjusted downward. A 20-percent downward adjustment? We don’t believe that is realistic. Medical costs for employees, wages, and fuel cost are not likely to go down . All signs point to higher taxes and an assessment increase will have its influence on the tax burden.

What then is the answer! For starters we encourage the Town Appraiser and Selectmen to question our assessment process. Something is really wrong if we are in need of a 20-percent correction. It certainly does not make much sense to most of us. Secondly it may be necessary to challenge the State mandate for this kind of an adjustment. We realize that much can change between now and mid-summer and we encourage our Selectmen to consider the needs of our overburdened taxpayers in their decision making process. Most taxpayers will question a 20-percent adjustment and not be responsive in a positive manner to a number of this magnitude.

Dick Durkee

For the Gilford Taxpayers Coalition