Claremont taxes down 58 cents; Newport is going up by 40 cents

Claremont’s 2018 property tax rate is going down 58 cents per $1,000 to $42.66 while Newport’s is going up by 40 cents to $30,40.

With about 35 tax rates remaining to be set by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, Claremont continues to have the highest tax rate in the state.

Claremont’s valuation with utilities jumped to $723,770,277, up from $701,320,857 in 2017.

In addition to this assessment increase, Claremont’s local education tax dipped from $22.64 to $21.87, a drop of 77 cents per $1,000.

The breakdown of Claremont’s tax bill with the 2017 numbers in parenthesis follows:

Valuation, $688,341,177 ($687,082,802) ; valuation with utilities, $723,270,277 ($701,320,857); municipal, $15.27 ($14.84); county, $2.76 ($2.94); state education, $2.18 ($2.24); local education, $21.87 ($22.64); tax rate, $42.08 ($42.66); total commitment, $30,233,0943 ($29,757,929).

In Newport, all areas of its tax rate increased with the exception of the state education tax that went down 18 cents from 2017.

Tax bills in Newport are expected to be in the mail by Friday, according to Finance Director Paul Brown. Payment is due by Jan. 7.

Newport’s tax assessment increase was kept down by $200,000 in fund balance returned by the Town to apply against taxes. The School District returned $699,293 from its fund balance to apply against taxes.

The breakdown with the 2017 figures in parenthesis follows:

Valuation, $415.106,816 ($412,113,629); valuation with utilities, $435,103,216 ($431,562,529); municipal, $11.79 ($11.51; county, $2.89 ($2.84); state education, $2.16 ($2.34); local education, $13.56 ($13.31); tax rate, $30.40 ($30.00); total commitment, $13,066,646 ($12,778,266)