Bow selectmen review budget that would raise town portion of tax rate to $4.91

Bow Board of Selectmen on Dec. 3 reviewed a proposed 2025–26 town budget that the presenter said would raise the town portion of the property-tax rate to $4.91 per $1,000 of assessed value, up from $4.62 — a proposed 6.2% increase for the town portion alone. The board spent more than an hour walking through operating and revenue assumptions, personnel requests and contract changes that drive that projected increase.

The budget presenter (Speaker 4) said the estimate is the town portion only and that the proposed rate reflects a combination of revenue changes and spending needs: "the estimated tax in tax rate impact of the budget that's being proposed at this point, is $4.91, which is an increase from $4.62," the presenter said. The presentation highlighted recent capital work — about 4.5 miles of road paving and a new bridge — and noted stronger motor-vehicle and permit revenues tied to a new cloud permitting system.

Why it matters: The numbers the board reviewed affect homeowners' bills and choices about personnel and services. Board members repeatedly requested clearer, line-by-line offsets before committing to new positions or revenue assumptions; the body agreed on three…