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Candia select board applies $500,000 of fund balance to trim tax rate; new rate reported at $12.97 per $1,000
Summary
After debate over reserving money for a police station, the Candia select board voted to apply $500,000 of the town's unassigned fund balance to reduce this year's property tax rate, with the remainder held for reserves; staff said the resulting tax rate would be $12.97 per $1,000.
The Candia select board voted to apply $500,000 of the town’s unassigned fund balance toward lowering the property tax rate and to place the remaining excess into the town’s reserves/capital account.
Staff presented fiscal figures showing an unassigned fund balance of $2,301,238, or about 15.68% of combined town and school appropriations; the board’s fund‑balance policy calls for 11.5% to be retained (about $1,687,770), leaving roughly $613,468 available to use. Staff (S4) explained that, if applied to the DRA base rate figure the board was working from, that money could lower the resulting tax calculation.
Board members debated whether to return most of the excess to taxpayers this year or to reserve some for a capital warrant article to support a proposed police station project (members cited prior unexpected capital needs such as culvert repairs estimated around $300,000). After several proposals and a motion from the chair to apply $500,000 to reduce property taxes (with the remainder to reserve), the board approved the motion by voice; at least one member registered opposition on the record.
Staff later reported the adjusted tax rate after the allocation would be $12.97 per $1,000, an 11¢ increase per $1,000 compared with figures discussed earlier in the meeting. The board scheduled further budget work for Dec. 8 and a budget‑committee public hearing Dec. 10.
The motion and resulting rate were documented in the meeting record; the transcript records a voice vote and discussion but does not contain a full roll‑call tally of yes/no votes.
