Taxes to rise 1.6 percent under new Cheshire County budget

By Ethan DeWitt Sentinel Staff
 

Cheshire County taxes are rising, again. But after months of deliberations and meetings, members of the executive committee for the N.H. House county delegation say they’ve brought that increase down to a minimum. In a 14-0 vote Monday night, the 23-member delegation approved a $45,366,304 county operating budget for fiscal year 2017-18. That total is up $1,462,249, or 3.33 percent, from the budget legislators approved last year.

Taxes will rise $382,641, or 1.6 percent, from their total last year.

The causes of the budget increase vary. A bulk of it is due to higher employee wages, according to N.H. Rep. Bruce L. Tatro, D-Swanzey, chairman of the executive committee. A total of $240,000 was added to wages and $150,811 to employee health insurance across the county, he said. An additional $211,330 was included this year to meet an increased need for Medicaid Assistance for nursing homes and home-based health care.

Monday's vote solidifies the second county tax hike in two years. But the rise, Tatro is quick to argue, is contained. A budget proposal by the Cheshire County commissioners had asked for a 2.35 percent tax increase for a $46.5 million budget; the executive committee whittled that down over a series of hearings with commissioners and department heads.

“After several months … we are pleased with the budget we are presenting,” Tatro said in a letter to the delegation.

Voting to approve the budget were Reps. Richard Ames, D-Jaffrey; Paul S. Berch, D-Westmoreland; John Bordenet, D-Keene; Delmar D. Burridge, D-Keene, Daniel A. Eaton, D-Stoddard; Barry Faulkner, D-Swanzey; John B. Hunt, R-Rindge; James McConnell, R-Swanzey; David R. Meader, D-Keene; John O’Day, R-Rindge; Marjorie J. Shepardson, D-Marlborough; Franklin W. Sterling, R-Jaffrey; Bruce L. Tatro, D-Swanzey; and Lucy M. Weber, D-Walpole.

The same group then voted to increase taxes accordingly, 14-0. Absent from both votes were Reps. Michael Abbott, D-Hinsdale; Donovan Fenton, D-Keene; Cathryn A. Harvey, D-Spofford; Gladys Johnsen, D-Keene; Douglas A. Ley, D-Jaffrey; John E. Mann, D-Alstead; Henry A. L. Parkhurst, D-Winchester; William Pearson, D-Keene; and Joseph P. Stallcop, D-Keene.

Ethan DeWitt can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1439, or edewitt@keenesentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EDeWittKS