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Residents propose 2.5% tax cap; attorney: limit would apply only to town portion
Summary
Petitioners argued at a Feb. 23 hearing that taxes are unsustainable and urged a 2.5% cap; Town Attorney Michael Courtney told selectmen the cap would apply to the town portion only, and Selectman Sharon Davis said the current budget shows a 2.1% increase after recommended use of unassigned fund balance.
At a public hearing on Feb. 23, petitioners urged the Campton Board of Selectmen to place a 2.5% tax-cap warrant article before voters, arguing that current tax levels are unsustainable.
Resident petitioner Ted Baumeister said taxes were "not sustainable." Attorney Michael Courtney clarified that a 2.5% tax cap would apply only to the Town portion of the tax rate, not to the school budget. Selectman Sharon Davis told the audience the budget presented to the board showed a 2.1% increase after recommended use of unassigned fund balance. Selectman Mort Donahue expressed opposition to the petition warrant articles generally, and Selectman Sherrill Howard asked whether petitioners had considered the cost of implementing the proposals.
Baumeister told the board he did not want to hear "feelings, only truth and fact." The board recorded the comments; there was no vote on the tax-cap petition during the meeting.
Next steps: The petition will proceed through the town's warrant process; the minutes do not record any board action to adopt a tax cap at this meeting.
