HANSON — Selectmen on Tuesday, Oct. 27, voted once again to adopt a uniform residential/commercial-industrial tax rate for fiscal 2021 during the annual tax classification public hearing. Assessor Lee Gamache said her board had recommended such a move again this year.
“We have so little commercial property, that we don’t want to put the extra burden on them,” she said, noting property values continue to rise. “Everything is certified by the Department of Revenue.”
Gamache said residential property values increased by 4 percent for the average single family home, while condominiums were up about 4.3 percent and commercial-industrial properties were up about 3.2 percent.
The annual tax on an average one-family home — valued at $368,000 — would be $5,556.80 at a rate of $15.10 per $1,000 in valuation. The annual tax on the average commercial property — valued at $513,000 — would be $7,746.30 at the same rate.
Selectmen also voted, as they do every year, against invoke residential tax exemptions, usually used by communities with high numbers of residential rental properties.
The board also voted against small commercial exemptions, which are not guaranteed to go to small businesses, but rather go to the property owner. Home businesses do not qualify for the exemption. Assessors recommended against each of the exemptions.
Gamache also reported that the excess levy capacity for fiscal 2021 was at $88,310.60.
Town Accountant Todd Hassett provided his quarterly update to the board for the first quarter of the fiscal year.
“We have had some pretty strong permit activity this year with the Building Department, so that may be a nice sign for not only permit revenue going forward, but also new growth, new tax revenues a year or so out from now,” he said. Car sales indicators, expected in February, will provide a better picture of fiscal 2022.
The Recreation Enterprise fund, meanwhile, where several programs had to be deferred or canceled at Camp Kiwanee and some reimbursements made or income pushed off to a future date due to the pandemic, estimated revenues have been reduced from $219,000 to $142,000 this year.
“This is probably the area of most concern from a financial standpoint,” Hassett said.