Derry Establishes Tax Rate at $26.12
Chief Financial Officer Susan Hickey reports that the NH Department of Revenue has set the Town of Derry’s preliminary 2019 tax rate at $26.12. The rate is $0.09 higher than in 2018. Tax bills will be mailed during the week of November 11 with an expected due date of December 12, 2019.
Property taxes are assessed to cover the cost of county, town and education services. The rate remained relatively steady, predominantly due to two factors: first, the State of New Hampshire increased Adequacy Aid for the Derry School District and second, the Town Council released $15.0M in assessed value which was previously used to support the Rte. 28 Tax Increment Finance District. Due to the success of that TIF District, the Council was able to return those assessments to the general property tax base which helped stabilize the tax rate for the Town, School and County.
The chart below shows the 2019 tax rate as compared with the 2018 tax rate.
| Tax Rate | 2019 | 2018 |
| Town Services | $7.72 | $7.60 |
| Local School | $15.36 | $15.43 |
| State Education | $2.06 | $2.04 |
| Rockingham County | $0.98 | $0.96 |
| Total | $26.12 | $26.03 |
The appropriation for Town services funds police, fire, emergency medical services, public works, recreation, public libraries, public health, welfare, planning, code enforcement, the transfer station, water, wastewater, community access TV, and government administration. Public Works services include the purchase, maintenance and replacement of roads, parks, bridges, dams, vehicles, equipment, land, and buildings. Revenues raised by service fees, permits, and grants reduce the amount that is needed to be raised by taxation. Public water and wastewater systems are funded by user fees. Community access television is funded by Comcast franchise fees.
The School District funds support the education of approximately 3,400 students in Pre-School - Grade 8 providing both general and special education services. Additionally, the district currently pays tuition for approximately 1,700 students to attend Pinkerton Academy for grades 9 - 12.
The revised net taxable assessed valuation of the Town of Derry for 2019 is $3,209,317,945
compared to $3,174,122,940 for 2018, or an increase of 1.1%.