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Hillsdale board weighs tax-base increase as part of 2026 preliminary budget
Summary
Board members discussed raising the town's tax base for the first time in a decade, considering options including a 4.7% increase (about $47,000) or a 3% increase (about $30,000) to address rising costs and a 2.75% cost-of-living adjustment.
The Chair said the town has not raised its tax base in a decade and proposed considering an increase to address inflation-driven cost pressures. Board members discussed options including a full 4.7% raise—estimated in the meeting at roughly $47,000—or splitting the change and adopting a 3% increase (estimated at about $30,000).
A committee member noted the town’s share of taxes currently represents about 1.8 percent of the total paid and said past administrations had raised the tax base more often. The Chair referenced a 2.75% cost-of-living adjustment this year and expressed comfort with a 3% increase to help cover higher costs, including recent building repairs and higher material prices for capital projects.
Members debated how to allocate any increase across departments and discussed a roughly 20/80 split used in current budgeting for hiring-related allocations. The Chair instructed staff to have Patterson incorporate the change into a preliminary budget and scheduled a public hearing for the 21st.
