Hooksett budget committee recommends municipal and school budgets; votes split on several warrant articles

The Hooksett Budget Committee on Thursday recommended the town's $25,421,195 municipal operating budget and backed a series of warrant articles for the 2025 town meeting while several other articles were not recommended after split votes.

The committee voted to recommend the municipal operating budget (warrant article 5) by a 7-3 roll call. Finance Director Christine Tewksbury told the public the operating article estimates a $4.70 municipal tax-rate impact; she added that if "all the proposed warrant articles were to pass, it would add 73'c to the total, bringing it up to $5.43." (Christine Tewksbury, finance director).

Why it matters: public speakers and committee members said rising property taxes were the chief concern. Resident Alan Brennan told the committee his own municipal portion rose sharply over his years in town and asked committee members to note the estimated tax effects of each warrant article. "If everything passes ... it's going to go up 11.82% over this year's, which brings it up to $5.39," he said while asking the group to account for the full impact on taxpayers.

Key municipal proposals and debate

- Sewer/TIF bond (Warrant Article 3): The committee recommended a $10,000,000 bond for sewer and infrastructure improvements in the tax-increment financing district (TIF) by an 8-2 vote. The warrant text says $860,000 would come from existing TIF funds, $2,100,000 would be appropriated by the Board of Sewer Commissioners, and the town would authorize up to $7,040,000 in bonds or notes under the Municipal Finance Act (RSA 33). The article was reported as recommended by the Town Council 7-1 in the warrant description.

- Martins Ferry Road improvements (Warrant Article 4): The motion to recommend the $2,800,000 bond for reconstruction and a new bridge resulted in a tie…