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Resident urges council to address rising real‑estate taxes affecting long‑time homeowners
Summary
A retiree and lifetime resident urged the council to consider real‑estate tax burdens on long‑term homeowners, citing increases in stormwater fees and property tax bills that threaten retirees' ability to stay in their homes.
A Portsmouth resident told council she is concerned about repeated increases in real‑estate taxes and stormwater fees that she says are placing financial strain on long‑time homeowners and retirees.
The speaker identified herself as a lifetime resident who owns property in Cavalier Manor/Capitol Manor and said her property tax bill will increase to about $2,700 this year (an increase she estimated at roughly $150). She described seniors on fixed incomes and longtime homeowners who face similar pressures and asked council to consider the cumulative effect of rising taxes, stormwater fees (which she said rose from about $7 decades ago to $43 now) and upkeep costs that could force residents to sell and move.
The speaker said she had voted for a casino previously on the expectation it would provide revenue and help prevent tax increases, and she urged council to review tax policy so longtime residents can remain in the city. Council thanked the speaker and referred the issue implicitly to finance staff; no formal action or timetable was recorded in the transcript.
