The Operating Budget allows the Town to pay for the Fire Department, Ambulance, the Police Department among many other functions.
Shall the Town of Hampton vote to raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $28,141,882. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $27,595,116, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town of Hampton or by law or the governing body may hold one special meeting in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only? (Majority vote required)
What it means:The voters are presented with 2 budgets. The Default Budget is regulated by RSA 40:13 and is determined by the amount of the previous-year approved budget, as adjusted by debt service, and contracts/ obligations mandated by law. The Default Budget will be the Operating Budget for the Town in the event the Proposed Operating Budget does not pass.
The Proposed Budget as presented by the Budget Committee, includes items not allowed by the RSA to be included in the Default Budget, such as increased but not-voted contractual costs, and anticipated needs determined by the various Town Departments. The difference between the Default Budget and the Proposed Budget is $546,766. Of this increase, $208,846 is due to anticipated increases in Waste Disposal costs. Should the Proposed Operating Budget fail to pass, absorption of these costs will require decreased services in other areas.
The Default Budget adds $0.224 per $1,000 valuation or $90.72 for the average-value home in Hampton. The Proposed Budget adds $0.387 per $1,000 valuation or $156.73 for the average-value home in Hampton ($66.01 more than required by the default budget.).
To calculate the effect on your property tax (for your specific property):
- Divide the Tax Assessor’s Valuation of your home by 1,000. (Example: for the average assessment of $405,000, the number to use would be 405.) Use your latest tax bill, or go to: http://gis.vgsi.com/hamptonnh/Search.aspxand enter your street address to get your valuation.
- Multiply the result in #1 by .387 to get the tax impact of the proposed Operating Budget. Multiply the result in #1 by .224 to determine the tax impact of the Default Budget.
Those in favor say: This is the proposed operating budget for the Town of Hampton for 2019, created with input from department heads, committees and commissions, and vetted by the Board of Selectmen and the MunicipalBudgetCommittee. It represents what the Department Heads believe they need to meet the demands of the residents of Hampton. There was a strong commitment to keep taxpayer costs reasonable, and still be responsive to the needs of residents. Almost 40% of the difference between the Default Budget and the Proposed Budget ties to the increases in solid waste disposal fees, over which The Town has no control.
Those opposed say: There is a concern about the overall tax bill, and how it is increasing over time. One speaker said that we should be looking at other revenue sources such as impact fees to help offset increasing Town responsibilities.
Fiscal impact: The average Hampton home valued at $405,000 would bear an increased tax cost of $66.01 in 2019 if the Proposed Operating Budget is approved, as compared to the Default Budget. (Total increase would be $156.73, $90.72 of which is unavoidable).