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Keene Council adopts 2025 property tax rate of 0.828978 after brief recess and 4-1 vote
Summary
After heated discussion and a short recess caused by disruptions, the Keene City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2025-689 setting the 2025 ad valorem tax rate at 0.828978 per $100 assessed value by a 4-1 recorded vote; Mayor Parrish was absent.
Keene City Council on Sept. 25 adopted an ordinance setting the city's 2025 property tax rate at 0.828978 per $100 of assessed value after a recorded 4-1 vote.
The ordinance (No. 2025-689), read aloud by the city secretary, sets the rate for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and ending Sept. 30, 2026. Council debate focused on whether the figure as presented constituted an increase or merely reflected growth in property values; council members discussed the option to adopt the lower no-new-revenue rate of 0.816257 instead.
Why it matters: The tax rate council adopted will determine the city portion of property tax bills for 2026. Council members argued about how state-required phrasing presents the rate as an "increase" even when revenue growth, not a higher local rate on each property, produces larger tax receipts.
During discussion, one councilmember laid out a series of example tax bills for a 0.275-acre parcel across multiple years to illustrate how bills and city receipts have changed. The member warned, "The rate you are deciding tonight will determine how much this taxpayer is going to pay next year." (Speaker 3). The presiding officer repeatedly sought order during the exchange.
Disorder in the chamber led the presiding officer to call a recess, saying, "We're calling a recess. Meeting is adjourned." The meeting reconvened within minutes and proceeded to a recorded vote.
The vote was conducted as a roll call. Bob Chapman voted in favor; Councilmember Easley voted against; Rob Foster (acting as mayor pro tem) voted in favor; Councilmember Shaw voted in favor; and Councilmember Smith voted in favor. Mayor Parrish was not present and did not vote. The presiding officer announced the motion passed 4-1.
Council also discussed whether to skip the Oct. 2 meeting and penciled in Oct. 16 as a tentative date, with the next regular meeting planned for Nov. 6. Staff noted packet-posting rules require materials to be posted at least three business days prior (Friday posting is typical under current practice).
The ordinance adopting the 2025 tax rate was approved and will be implemented for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025.
