It does not have to be 0%
The petitioned warrant article for a tax cap does not have to be 0%. You can cap it at whatever you feel your town needs and what you can get the voters to agree on. Why did I and others agree on 0% for Gilford? Well simply put Gilford spent its way into the real estate bubble raising its spending 59% for the town from 2000 to 2010 and 69% for the school budget over that same period. It has killed the real estate values. Assessments are back down to the 2005/2006 levels and falling but the spending is way above that. There has been a budget committee in place for years and an outspoken tax advocate group but the town and the school continue to spend. Gilford's tax rate is 18.55 now which blows away the other towns on the big lake. It will be 19 next year and probably 20 the year after. Gilford has 48% non resident tax payers who are simply walking away and selling cheap. This continues to drive down the assessments and drive up the tax rate. Time to stop the spending increases.
Ms. Merge
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