State DRA sets Dover tax rate for FY2016

posted on: 11/20/2015

The City of Dover's property tax rate for fiscal year 2016 has been calculated by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration and certified Nov. 20, 2015, at $26.61 per $1,000 assessed valuation.

Tax bills will be mailed Nov. 23, 2015, according to the City's Finance Department. The first half of the tax bill is due Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015, and the second half is due by June 1, 2016.

In a memo to the City Council, City Manager J. Michael Joyal Jr., said the tax rate set by the DRA represents an increase of 60 cents, or 2.3 percent over the prior year.

"Given that the average residential property assessment is $232,901, this equates to an approximate $140 increase in annual property taxes," Joyal said. "Keep in mind that this calculation is based upon an average property value and with a state required revaluation occurring this year, there will be increases that are higher and those that are lower than this amount depending upon each individual property’s assessed value."

There are four components that represent the tax rate: The City portion, local education portion, state education, and Strafford County. The tax rate of $26.61 is broken down as follows:

The breakout of the components of the property tax rate and the change over the prior year is as follows:

• City: $10.47, an increase of 38 cents over the previous year;
• Local education: $10.65, an increase of 15 cents over the previous year;
• State education: $2.49, the same as the previous year;
• County: $3, an increase of seven cents over the previous year.

In a memo to the City Council, the city manager explained the state was late again this year in certifying Dover's tax rate.

"This is primarily attributable to the needed adjustment in adequacy aid that is the subject of our ongoing lawsuit," Joyal said.

For more information, contact the City of Dover Finance Department at 603-516-6030.