Residents of Temple will enjoy a reduced tax rate for 2016 relative to 2015, thanks to a lower education rate.

The amount owed by Temple homeowners will be $25.02 for every $1,000 of assessed property value. This is $1 less per $1,000 than in 2015, a 3.84 percent reduction.

The $25.02 rate is the lowest in Temple since 2013.

Within that total, the state and local (ConVal School District) school rate fell significantly to $17.93 per $1,000. The Hillsborough County portion also fell to $1.28 per $1,000.

The portion of the tax rate owed to the Town of Temple actually climbed to $5.81, the highest it has been since 2013. It was $5.73 in 2015, a 1.40 percent jump, and under $5 as recently as 2012.

Temple has the second-lowest tax rate in ConVal School District towns, behind Hancock (Sharon has not yet set its rate). Hancock’s rose to $23.11 per $1,000. At $5.81, Temple’s municipal tax rate is the lowest among available ConVal towns.

It was higher than Hancock’s last year, but increased by less.

“For many years our tax rate has been dominated by school costs,” a letter to taxpayers, signed by Gail Cromwell and George Willard, said. “It is therefore quite a pleasure that this year the school rate is down $1.03.”

In the letter, the town notes that shrinking enrollment at Temple Elementary School has resulted in losing some aid from the State of New Hampshire, but also resulted in a lowered tax rate from the district, which is based on enrollment and the total valuation of each town.

The eight-cent increase in the municipal rate is the result of a budget increase of $19,000 for 2016, and $72,000 in warrants voted on at Town Meeting.

Many town projects in 2016 came in at or under budget, and some, such as repair of headstones, were grant funded.

Additionally, the town budgeted $17,000 for legal fees and a health survey regarding the Kinder-Morgan pipeline project, which it saved when the project was withdrawn.

The town elected to keep the municipal rate in check by taking $130,000 from its accumulated fund balance. Otherwise, according to the letter, the rate would have been $6.81, a full dollar higher per $1,000 of assessed value than the final $5.81.

The town was last revalued in 2014, which accounts for the discrepancy between current rates and previous rates. To demonstrate: in the five years from 2009 through 2013, the town’s rate averaged $5.22 per $1,000, but has averaged $5.75 since. The full breakdown of the new $25.02 tax rate, per $1,000 of assessed property value, is $5.81 for the town, $1.28 for the county, $2.47 for state education, and $15.46 for local education.

 

Brandon Latham can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 228 or blatham@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @blathamMLT.