Belmont Select Board: Belmont tax rate impacted by cost of education

To The Daily Sun,

The 2021 Tax Rate has been set for the Town of Belmont and bills were mailed on Nov. 12, with a due date of Dec. 15. This year’s rate increased by $1.33 primarily due to the increased rate for the cost of education in Belmont. Shaker Regional School District’s apportionment increased for Belmont taxpayers by $1,030,382 from $10,066,876 in 2020 to $11,097,258 for 2021. The rate impact was an increase of $1.28 per thousand.

The town has consistently tried to maintain stability in its portion of the tax rate by balancing the need for services and the town’s overall level of property assessment. Since 2007 we have seen a low of $6.18 to a high in 2016 of $9.55. This year’s municipal rate is $8.54 which is 20 cents higher than the 2020 rate, the increase can be attributed to the bond payment for the new police station, while the bond proceeds were distributed to the town in December 2020, we did not make our first payment until 2021.

The rate for Belmont’s portion of the Belknap County assessment went down by 18 cents to $1.10 and the state education rate saw a slight increase of three cents to $2.05. The town’s total tax rate for 2021 will be $26.67 per $1,000 of assessed value, i.e., a home valued at $200,000 will see an increase of $266.00 for 2021.

Ruth Mooney, Chair

Jon Pike, Vice Chair

Claude Patten, Jr.

Belmont Select Board