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Select Board adopts 2026 tax rate after treasurer’s year‑end recap
Summary
After a year‑end financial review, the Select Board adopted town and highway tax rates that together set the overall rate at 1.001 — a roughly 1.9% increase — and approved a modest stabilization cushion. The move passed by unanimous voice vote.
Town Treasurer Jenny presented the town’s year‑end finances and recommended tax‑rate figures that the Select Board adopted on July 13.
Jenny told the board the highway surplus is substantial and presented the calculations that produced a recommended town rate of 0.5270 and a highway rate of 0.4740, producing an overall combined rate of about 1.001. "We had enough surplus in highway, $3,033,539 dollars and 20¢," she said, and explained allocations to the library ($10,000), fire ($86,000) and rescue ($39.07) before applying surplus to reduce what must be raised.
A board member moved to adopt the treasurer’s calculations as presented; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. Board members debated the size and purpose of a tax‑stabilization cushion — which was increased this year to $25,000 — and emphasized the cushion is intended to smooth large swings rather than provide a one‑time large reduction. The board also voted to apply the standard 3% penalty for late homestead filings when state rules require it.
The action completes the formal step the town must take before submitting the rate to the Department of Taxes and posting the warning for the next tax cycle.
