Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Taxes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Stratford residents press selectboard over unexpected property tax surge
Summary
Residents spent more than an hour questioning the Stratford Selectboard about an unexpected property tax increase; officials said they could only explain the town portion and urged people to attend a Nov. 13 school board meeting and county budget hearings for the rest of the bill.
More than an hour of the Nov. 4 Stratford Selectboard meeting was taken up by residents seeking answers after property tax bills showed a larger-than-expected increase. Town Administrator Vanessa Toner and Selectman Clayton Macdonald said they "could only explain why the town's portion went up" and urged residents to raise questions with the school board and county budget process for the education and county portions.
The public question-and-answer stretch began shortly after the meeting opened and continued until about 5:00 p.m., when Selectman Macdonald told residents the board needed to move on to agenda business. Town officials encouraged residents to attend the school-board hearing scheduled for Nov. 13, 2024, and county budget meetings so they could examine components of the overall tax bill the town does not set.
Residents voiced surprise at the size of the increase and repeatedly requested specifics; the Selectboard and administrator said the town can only account for the municipal portion and recommended that taxpayers seek explanations from the school board and county officials, which set the other portions of the tax rate. No numeric breakdown beyond that statement was provided in the meeting minutes.
The Selectboard did not take further action at the Nov. 4 meeting on the tax issue beyond fielding questions and directing residents to the appropriate bodies for the education and county portions. The board advised that questions about the school portion can be raised at the Nov. 13 school board meeting.
