Search results matching tag 'taxes'

Citizens ask for no tax increase

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:33:00 GMT

By Ginger Kozlowski

It may not hold any legal power, but 78 citizens are asking the Candia Board of Selectmen and School Board to help them pay their taxes by keeping the property tax rate from increasing.

A petition-like form was sent around town in early November and was available in several businesses. It said:
“To:
“Candia Selectmen
“Candia Budget Comm.
“Candia School Board

“This letter to inform the three boards that we do not want any increase in our property taxes. We do not want any increase in any of the town or school budgets.”

Ingrid Byrd, a member of the Candia School Board, said the letter and signatures were presented to the selectmen at their Nov. 9 meeting and to the business manager at SAU 53 the same week.

Byrd said the School Board has already finished its budget for the coming year and kept it level-funded. While she spoke as a single member of the board, she said the other members of the School Board were unanimous in their support of keeping costs down.

“We made cuts across the board,” said Byrd. We went literally line by line, meeting all the things we’re supposed to meet.

School Board Chairman Ed Caito agreed, saying the board worked hard to keep costs down.

“This year, the School Board and the Candia School District administration made a concerted effort to communicate more effectively with the Candia Budget Committee in order to try to work together to present a reasonable budget in these challenging economic times,” said Caito.

The budget is driven by a number of factors, he said.

“Our health insurance provider provides the district with a guaranteed maximum health insurance premium increase for the following school year. This year, that maximum has been set at a 21.5 percent increase,” said Caito.

“Second, the state of New Hampshire, in order to meet their budget obligations, reduced their share of retirement contributions, reneging on their promise to school districts, and pushing those increases to local districts.

“Third,” he said, “the issue of special education needs continues to weigh heavily on school districts. In order to offset some of those drivers, we decided to defer or seek alternative funding sources for some expenses. For example, certain building repairs may be funded out of our building maintenance expendable trust fund.”

Caito said there will be some losses.

“Due to projected enrollments,” he said, “we are reducing two teaching positions. Class sizes will remain within Candia School District policy and state of New Hampshire guidelines.”

Caito also said the Spanish curriculum was eliminated in order to increase time for math and language arts. Candia Selectman Richard “Dick” Snow had not seen the letter, but said he is always open to input from residents.

“I have, in those areas of the operating budget that I am responsible for, reduced expenditures without reducing the services that the voters voted for in March” he said. “My operating budget requests for next year were, in the Parks & Recreation area, just under level funding. The operating budget requested for the cemeteries was higher, based on my desire to more properly maintain them. That number will actually also be close to level funded, based on warrant articles that I will be proposing that will more efficiently manage the cemeteries. None of these efforts, however, will affect this year’s taxes.”

“I really hope the selectmen will level-fund the budget because the citizens are so hard up for money,” said Byrd.

“We have more citizens asking for help from the Welfare Department. People simply cannot continue the increase in taxes that we’ve had.”

Byrd noted that some of her friends have property tax bills of $8,000 or $9,000. “So we need to do something to help citizens,” she said. “People should not be driven out of their homes.”

Candia’s property tax rate for the current year was just set at $19.90 per $1,000 of property value, $1 lower than last year’s rate of $20.90. For the owner of a home valued at $300,000, that means a tax bill of $5,970, $300 lower than last year.

Candia completed a full revaluation this year with the valuation coming in roughly 5 percent higher than last year. Snow pointed out that the tax rate was recently set by the Department of Revenue at a figure roughly 5 percent lower than last year.

“The actual impact on this year’s taxes for the 78 residents would depend on what happened to their individual assessments, based on the revaluation and any changes that they made on their individual properties prior to April 1,” said Snow.

Tax collector Candice Stamatelos said bills were expected to be mailed by Nov. 20, and would be due by Dec. 21.

Property taxes up in Epsom despite school cuts

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:37:00 GMT

By Kathleen Bailey

The Department of Revenue Administration has set Epsom’s tax rate for 2009. Residents can expect to see an increase of 39 cents per $1,000, in a year where the town portion of the bill went up and the school portion went down.

Epsom’s current rate is $17.35 per $1,000 of taxable property. It breaks down into $2.60, town portion; $2.51, county; $10.09, local school; and $2.15, state school portion.

The new rate, set Oct. 15 by the Department of Revenue Administration, is $17.74 per $1,000. This breaks down into $4.03, town share; $2.41, county; $9.13, local school; and $2.17, state school portion.

The Epsom School District increased its revenues this past year, and even turned approximately $94,000 back to the town, financial adminstrator Nancy Wheeler said.

There are “a couple of reasons” the town portion went up, according to Wheeler. First, the town passed a budget in March 2009, after three years of being on a default budget. The total appropriations went up $207,000 when the operating budget was voted in, she said.

In addition, Wheeler said, the town did not use any surplus funds to mitigate taxes. In previous years Epsom would use its undesignated fund balance to offset taxes, but this year, she said, “there wasn’t that much to play with.” The Department of Revenue Administration requires that a certain amount be left in the fund, she said.

Epsom also saw a decrease in its anticipated revenues, which are down by $142,500, Wheeler said. These include car registrations, dog licenses, building permits, the land use change tax, the timber tax, and other licenses, permits and fees. A decrease in auto registrations was responsible for the biggest part of the drop, she said.

The town also saw reduced revenue from state highway block grants and the rooms and meals tax, and saw state “shared revenue” completely eliminated. Peter Aubrey, business manager for School Administrative Unit 53, credited the lower school portion to two factors.

First, he said, the town’s assessed value went up by $6 million in 2009. Second, he said, the school district actually returned $94,955 to the town to help offset taxes.

This was the result of good budgeting by Epsom Central School Principal Patrick Connor, he said.

“The principal is very frugal and runs a tight ship,” Aubrey said.

Keeping promise, taxes stay steady

Salem Editor — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:47:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

To keep a promise made to voters last March, Salem selectmen will dip deeper into the town’s unreserved balance rather than raise taxes in December. But higher town taxes will be unavoidable in 2010.

The decision came Oct. 19 after Town Manager Jonathan Sistare presented options to the board: use reserves to maintain a level-funded budget or increase the tax rate between 3 and 11 cents per $1,000 assessed property value in December to offset shortfalls in 2009 and to anticipate what will be needed in 2010.

In a unanimous vote, the board gave Sistare the go-ahead to pull a total of $450,000 from reserve funds. That will keep the town portion of tax bills the same in December, but the bill will be up an estimated 17 cents per $1,000 assessed property value as the school and county portions of the bill each rose.

Last March, selectmen promised voters their budget would hold the line on taxes in 2009. It hasn’t been an easy promise to keep.

Feeling a cash crunch of its own, the state shorted Salem, leaving a $371,000 hole in anticipated revenue.

Sistare covered that shortfall with a hiring freeze and $300,000 from the town’s rainy day fund. But the rain kept coming, as money from motor vehicle permits and other revenue sources sank dramatically. That meant the town had to find another $150,000 to cover 2009 expenses or raise taxes, he said.

It’s not unusual for the town to draw on its rainy day fund to adjust the municipal portion of December’s tax bill, said Selectman Michael Lyons. But in a normal year, the difference is tens of thousands not hundreds of thousands, he said.

“Right at the time we were proposing our budget there was all this talk in Concord about massive cuts. We went into Town Meeting not knowing what our state aid was going to be,” Lyons said. “We had projected a number of $200,000 (in cuts), but what the state ended up taking away from us went well above that number.”

Sistare said rising health insurance costs alone mean the town will need another $450,000 in 2010. The operating budget proposed by selectmen for next year, already includes a 6.5 cent increase to the tax rate that doesn’t take into account the higher health premiums.

Given that and that more cuts in state aid are expected, Lyons and Selectman Everett McBride argued for raising the municipal tax rate in December above the $4.79 it’s been at since 2008.

That sparked heated debate among board members. Selectman Patrick Hargreaves said changing the tax rate at the final hour would be unfair to residents budgeting for the bill since March and put undue strain on taxpayers already struggling financially.

“If you’re going to tell me my taxes are going to go up 10 percent next year I know. If you tell me, ‘Pat, next year your taxes are going up (X) then I know I have to budget my family for (X),” he said. “You’re giving me the playing field. You’re telling me what I need to survive in this town for one more year. As long as you tell me the number I’m OK.”

Chairman Arthur Barnes said he felt honor-bound to maintain a level-funded tax rate.

Christian Perspectives?

mogabe — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:57:00 GMT

Remarkable! That is the word most accurately attributable to the opinions composed by the two Bishops in the Manchester Union Leader regarding the "Healthcare Reform" legislation being considered. I must offer these remarks.

The first Bishop claims that there are no Christian voices being raised. Perhaps his definition of Christian is flawed. The true Christians, Christ-followers, have been out in front defending the lives of the innocent and powerless who are targeted for death by the current forms of this new legislation. Therefore, they are standing up and crying out in defense of the Lord Jesus Christ, who IS life. To even consider forcing believers to join in the commission of the most heinous sin conceived by the hearts of men - ABORTION - by compelling all citizens to pay for it, not only violates the First Amendment but treads upon the grounds where God overrules the state and true Christians are obligated to resist and disobey such governments.

Of course, this first Bishop dismisses God's Word in many ways by claiming authority while openly and proudly violating His explicit laws and requirements of leaders. I hear changing what God defined as Marriage (one man and one woman) is also permissible and taught as such to his followers. For those who want to debate whether homosexual behavior is sin, or what the definition of Marriage is, their argument is with The Bible and God, not me.

The second Bishop makes many good points, but mixes in the leaven of the world by misapplying what it means to care for the least of God's people. We are commanded to help those in need, but not to forcibly compel others to join our efforts. That is a tenet of a conflicting religion, which allows for murder in the effort of proselytizing. Christ didn't and doesn't ask us to force anyone into doing or not doing anything, except as it applies to raising our children, (which is another front in the battle with our government today).

The answer to that oft-quoted rhetorical question defiantly uttered by Cain is NO! We are NOT our brother's KEEPERS. We are brothers and sisters, loving and helping one another, but not owning or controlling each other. Even during God’s suffering of human slavery in the world, obedience to Him was an act of free will.

But then, this second Bishop has also dismissed some parts of God's Word by deciding that compromise with the world is sometimes necessary, as evidenced by his actions - and lack thereof - in the past and currently. The scandals surrounding the molestation cases called for forgiveness, but also for his stepping down. Now, the proposed partnership of Catholic Medical Center with Dartmouth Hitchcock (abortionists and promoters of embryonic mass murder) is the most unholy of matrimonies. It certainly resembles what could be described as the "abomination that brings desolation standing in the Holy of Holies". What place today could be more holy than the womb? Whose hospital is CMC supposed to be? "You cannot serve man and God".

For these two leaders to be supporting the government's takeover of our most basic rights, and in that process promote the notion that allows the use of God's money for the destruction of human life, is the most disturbing testimony in memory. Don't they fear God? What would Jesus have to say about this? I don't need a PhD, nor any other anointing by men to recognize mortal sin. How's that for a Christian perspective?

Again, their arguments are with God's Holy Word; The Bible, not me. No matter where It peeled open, The Bible offered testimony affirming these remarks. Just before ironing this out I peeled, and It opened to Titus. This is one of the shortest of Paul’s letters. Those Bishops should read it again. Then, browse Revelation, particularly the ‘letters to the churches‘. The resemblances to today’s churches are undeniable. The times we are living in are unmistakable.

Don't trust human interpreters to read for you. Most versions are written at an eighth-grade reading level and God needs no man to interpret His Word. Any willing and contrite soul can approach and claim the promises Jesus made; “seek and you shall find”, “ask and you shall receive”, “knock and the door will be opened”. Read the Book of books, written by the King of kings who will be back for HIS church. The truth does not require your belief to be true. Either God is God, or He isn’t.

Oct. 8, 2009

Taxes rise 2 percent in Bedford

Bedford Editor — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:27:00 GMT

BY GINGER KOZLOWSKI

Bedford homeowners will soon be getting their property tax bills in the mail, and can expect to pay an average of $152 more than last year. Town Manager Russ Marcoux said bills will be in the mail by Nov. 1 and due on Dec. 1.

The new rate of $19.33 per $1,000 of property value is 38 cents higher than last year’s rate of $18.95, a 2 percent increase.

For the owner of an average home in Bedford worth $400,000, the bill would come to $7,732. At last year’s rate, they would have paid $7,580, a $152 difference.

The tax rate is a combination of four separate parts. The town portion increase by 18 cents, or 4.7 percent from last year, to $3.99. Marcoux said 7 cents of that was due to loss of state revenue and a retirement increase that was passed on to local towns.

The local school portion was up 17 cents, or 1.4 percent from last year, to $11.95. State school tax increased by 3 cents, or 1.3 percent from last year, to $2.30.

There was no increase in the county portion of the tax rate, staying at $1.09.

“Our original municipal budget estimate when the budget was delivered last October was $ 3.97,” Marcoux said. “The actual is $3.99. The Town Council worked with us and were able to further reduce it to $3.88.”

Marcoux noted that the state’s portion of retirement costs are hurting local towns as they pass on the expense.

“The .07 portion attributable to loss of revenue sharing from the state and the pass through of 5 percent of the state’s portion of retirement costs are beginning to eat into local budgets and their ability to deliver services at the local level,” Marcoux said. “As retirement costs increase, the cost passed on to local governments will also increase, as the current plan decreases the state’s portion by 5 percent each year. This has to be readdressed by the New Hampshire Legislature. This is their responsibility.”

Bedford town budget keeps increase at 2 percent

Bedford Editor — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:55:00 GMT

BY JILLIAN JORGENSEN

The town manager presented a $22,410,681 budget to the Town Council on Oct. 14, meeting the Town Council’s guidance of no more than a 2 percent increase over the town’s portion of the 2009 municipal tax rate.

The town tax rate for 2010 in Town Manager Russell Marcoux’s proposed budget is $4.13 per $1,000 in assessed property value. That figure includes 6 cents passed on by the state, Marcoux said, for the New Hampshire Retirement System and the end of revenue sharing, for a total of $220,668.

“From a municipal perspective, considering all the other economic issues that we are facing, it is an outrage that the state of New Hampshire budget, as bleak as it may be, was balanced by passing these costs onto local municipalities, school districts and county government,” Marcoux wrote.

The proposed “net tax rate controlled by the town,” which excludes those costs, is $4.07 per $1,000, a 2 percent increase over last year’s municipal tax rate of $3.99.

For a house valued at $400,000, Marcoux said, the tax increase attributable to the town would be $32. The additional costs from the state tack on another $24, bringing the cost to $56 a year.

The proposed budget includes a $430,000 contribution to the Fund Balance Reserve Fund, under a long-term financial plan approved by the council in 2004 “to ensure the town’s future stability and to protect the town against current and future risks,” Marcoux wrote.

To keep the tax increase low, Marcoux proposes eliminating transit bus service, at $43,200; funding to five outside service agencies at $15,460; funding for parade and celebrations at $2,500, opting to fund them through donations; and Chamber of Commerce dues.

The budget also requires pay negotiations with union and non-union employees.

“I determined we could deliver our budget within the guidelines if we treated all our employees, both union and non-union, identically,” Marcoux wrote.

He asked all departments to accept a 2.5 percent “across the board increase” in the next year. The labor union contracts call for raises from zero to 6 percent, with 4.5 percent being the average, Marcoux said Wednesday.

The union for the Department of Public Works agreed, but the police and fire unions did not, Marcoux said. Negotiations will occur in non-public meetings.

At the Oct. 14 meeting, Marcoux praised the unions, even those that did not agree with his proposal, for their cooperation with him.

“I respect them. They were very respectful to me. They just didn’t agree with me,” he said.

In his budget presentation, he wrote, “We were hoping to avoid any protracted contract discussions, but with their decisions that may now be unavoidable.”

Property Taxes: It Seems That All Is Not What It Seems...

MertzMHz — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:21:00 GMT

I met with a tax assessor from the Town of Pembroke regarding my recent property tax valuation increase. [See my previous rant about that if you haven’t already] When I arrived at the Town Hall, it was immediately clear that I was not alone in questioning the Town’s numbers and/or their effect on my wallet – there were signs posted with red arrows guiding me up the stairs where a cluster of chairs formed a makeshift waiting area in the hallway.

After waiting a short fifteen minutes in the hallway, I was greeted by a pleasant gentleman who guided me into a conference room which was set up with tables forming multiple simultaneous meeting areas. It was like an assembly line of disgruntled citizenry. I began pleading my case in what I assumed was a futile effort and likely waste of my time.

When I began describing the location of my property, a strange look came across the man’s face. He excitedly informed me that the assessment numbers for my building were in the process of being revised, and that they would be lowered from the stated assessment value! I was as happy as I was confused.

I pressed as to the reason why, and was told that he was not sure as he hadn’t assessed it himself. He said that it might be a rounding error in the software, or it could have been human error in the calculation. He really couldn’t be pinned-down as to why the increase was so large, or what had caused the supposed error. I was assured that when I receive my tax bill in about a month or so that the assessed amount would be lower than the 17% increase indicated in the letter that I received from the Town. He informed me that at such point in time, after I get the revised amount, I would still have the option of appealing to the Board of Selectmen.

This outcome was far better than what I had hoped for, however I must say I am still curious. No one ever knocked on my door to look at my condo – and each condo unit is different. I’m not aware of anyone ever even coming into the building. Did they perform a drive-by assessment on my property? Are our assessments based purely upon some computer cost-modeling algorithm? Was it based on this elusive “view tax”? I suppose it technically doesn’t really matter why the mistake was made, providing my appraised value does indeed go back down to normal.

Well, no tea party today, Pembronx. Not yet.

Pembroke Area Residents Hit with Property Tax Assessment Increase

MertzMHz — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:48:00 GMT

At the beginning of September, I received a letter from the Town of Pembroke informing me of an increase in the valuation of my property. A 17% increase in value. I noted that their appraisal occurred in April of 2009. The previous assessment appraisal occurred when my building was converted from apartments into condos in the summer of 2005, during the height of the real estate boom. So during this mortgage meltdown and subsequent looming depression, my pad increased in value by 17%? This increase in valuation occurred despite the prevailing market rates and recent historical sales prices to the contrary? Where were these people and their phoned-in numbers when I was trying to refinance in January? Well, this fuzzy math doesn’t make any sense at all.

The letter was followed by a rumor which flew around amongst my neighbors that we were assessed one of New Hampshire’s new “view” taxes. A view tax? (Maybe it’s true, maybe it’s not; the general principal of a view tax gets me fired-up just thinking about it!)

Okay, I do own “waterfront” property on the Suncook River – but let me tell you a few things about my view:

I look out at a brown, silt-filled river that since the floods of 2005 has deposited mass amounts of trees, trash and gravel from the breached gravel pit upstream in Epsom. I look out at a flood-damaged commercial hydroelectric dam which is punctuated by exposed rusty rebar, and my property has sinkholes from water infiltration from the unmaintained retaining walls along the river.

I “view’ the Heartbreak Hotel across the river in Allenstown. Words aren’t enough to describe them and theirs. The Heartbreakers seem to lose their plastic Walmart patio chairs into the river weekly, and they love to throw their trash and bodies over the railing. One incarceration away from being hobos, they are a real entertaining bunch.

I get to look at a bridge which somehow doubles as a municipal parking lot for the Heartbreak Hotel, their guests, and drunken patrons of the American Legion. This is the only bridge that I have ever seen on which one is permitted to park their vehicle. I have the privilege of watching the Tri-Town citizenry be pulled over on the side of the bridge by Pembroke’s finest, and enjoy flashing blue strobe lights through my window at night. I also get to hear Harleys roar across the bridge at all hours of the day. There’s one now. Make it two.

People stop on the sidewalk and throw trash into the water just to see it splash. Sometimes kids toss in bikes and other stolen stuff. Underneath of the bridge is covered in bad graffiti and is a haven for vandals and hoodlums. They hang out down there smoking dope, drinking beers, tossing trash into the river just to hear it make a splash, and throwing rocks at birds. The Town has made absolutely no effort whatsoever at cleaning-up the graffiti over the past years, probably because they’re still arguing with Allenstown about who’s going to pay for it. Or perhaps because Scumcook “is what it is”, as I’ve been told.

Bottom line: If anything, the Town of Pembroke should be paying me for my “view”! I will be scheduling a meeting with the Town to get to the bottom of these shenanigans. Stay tuned, Pembronx.

Bedford Town Council: $4M loss predicted

Bedford Editor — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:14:00 GMT

By STEPHEN BEALE

The Town Council set its goals and priorities for the upcoming year in a retreat held at the town offices May 6.

At the retreat, Town Manager Russ Marcoux warned the town and school district could be facing an annual $4 million hit to their budgets from lost state revenues and increased costs in the statewide retirement system.

Marcoux suggested the Town Council form a committee to look into how the town should address the problem. Earlier this year, he sounded the alarm over the budget proposed by Gov. John Lynch, which included cutting revenue to towns and cities from the rooms and meals tax.

The state ultimately decided to restore most of that money and instead is plugging its budget hole with one-time federal economic stimulus dollars, according to Marcoux.

But he said the town and school district could be facing an even more severe budget impact in 2010 and 2011.

“I don’t see that really being talked about,” he said. “I don’t see the state government realizing the impact on local communities. It’s severe.”

He said that impact could be $4 million between the town and school budgets, which is about $1.40 on the tax rate. On a home assessed at $400,000 that would mean $560 more in taxes.

Marcoux said the town needs to examine the services it offers. Town Councilor Michael Scanlon said any cuts would result in layoffs. The three departments most likely to see reductions in staff would be fire, police and public works, according to Marcoux.

Scanlon also said the town should sue the state over the issue.

Otherwise, Marcoux said he did not know whether the town would turn to higher taxes, budget cuts or a combination of the two. He said that was a political decision that would have to be made by the Town Council.

The $4 million estimate is based on three state revenue sources and spending on the retirement system. In 2009, the town was due to receive $1.2 million from the rooms and meals tax and about $150,000 in state revenue sharing. The school district was slated for roughly $1.5 million in building aid from the state.

Once increased costs in the state retirement system are factored in, Marcoux said the total impact on the town and school budgets could be around $4 million.

Other town council goals include forming an energy committee to examine energy savings for the town and educate the public; establishing another committee to assess the status of all town-owned buildings and what future needs may be; implementing the recommendations of the Economic Development Commission; and looking at ways of funding the expansion of water and sewer service along Route 101 and South River Road.

The council also resolved to figure out what to do with the town road program. In 2008, funding from two bonds totaling $20 million was set to run out. Proposals for new bonds in 2008 and 2009 failed at the ballot box.

A recent report from CMA Engineers, a consultant, gave the green light to continuing the road program as it is currently structured. But Town Councilor Bill Dermody said he still was not convinced the program had been working.

“I don’t know that we’re doing the right thing with the roads,” Dermody said. “Somebody has got to explain to me why a brand new road has stress cracks in it within a year of the macadam being laid down.”

Dermody said he was referring to North Amherst Road and Hardy Road.

Scanlon said the new roads would still get cracks.

“We’re not building superhighways here,” he said. “We’re not doing total road reconstructions. We’re not building the Everett.”

Town Councilor Chris Bandazian said the Public Works Department had let the roads sit through the winter before putting on a wearing course.

Several councilors floated the idea of a roads committee, but it was unclear at the retreat exactly what its purpose would be. Bandazian was open to the idea if the committee would be supportive of the Public Works Department – not looking over the shoulders of its officials.

Council Chariman Michael Izbicki said a roads committee could sell the program to the public. And Town Councilor Paul Roy said the committee should examine the financing of the road program.

Another concern for the upcoming year is what to do with the Stevens-Buzwell School, which is located across the parking lot from the town offices.

The former school later served as the town offices and police station. From the late 1990s to 2007 it was the Marconi Museum, but now mold, asbestos, a leaking roof and other problems make the building unusable until it is cleaned up and renovated, according to Marcoux.

Marcoux said that removing the asbestos and mold as well as fixing the windows, leaking roof, and other problems in the building would be expensive. He estimated that restoring the building would cost about $700,000 while tearing it down and replacing it would be $430,000.

Salem officials struggle to solve budget shortfall

Salem Editor — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:06:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Looking between a projected budget shortfall of nearly $400,000 and hopes of keeping the tax rate flat this year, at least one selectman is keeping the possibility of layoffs on the table.

Gov. John Lynch may have backed away from a budget proposal that would have cut state funding to Salem by as much as $1.7 million, but reductions in the level of funding from Concord for retired firefighters and police officers continues to be a concern for local officials as they look toward setting the town’s tax rate in October.

While about $1.3 million has been restored to the town in state funding in the form of a portion of the rooms and meals tax, officials are still trying to find ways to make up the difference. Since learning about the potential shortfall, the town has maintained a hiring freeze, according to Town Manager Jonathan Sistare.

The move has kept four vacant positions open and freed up $317,292 that would otherwise go toward salaries and benefits, but that still leaves the town with an unanticipated shortfall of roughly $100,000 and puts into doubt whether a commitment made by officials to keep the town’s tax rate flat this year is still a possibility.

“My main thing is find that $100,000 and we don’t want to do layoffs, but if we have to look at it, we have to look at it,” said Selectman Patrick Hargreaves.

Though Hargreaves would rather see the town cut hours or minimize the amount of overtime pay – by hiring more parttime town employees without benefits – layoffs in the future remain a possibility.

“If we don’t cut our overtime and if we don’t come up with the shortfall, then we have to look at layoffs,” he said. “It’s a last resort.”

The shortfall also prompted board Chairman Arthur Barnes to call on the town manager to review the current staff level and evaluate the importance of the four open positions to determine whether cuts should be made elsewhere to support new hiring.

“Maybe some of the full-time positions need to become part time so we can staff where we need to staff,” Barnes said. In the meantime, officials are also turning to stimulus funds as a way to make up for the missing funds or offset anticipated expenses. About $130,000 in funds have been made available to the town in the form of a grant for energy-efficient improvements around Salem, according to Sistare.

Officials are hoping potential stimulus money will fully finance the cost of one of two bridges in town slated for reconstruction this year, Sistare said.

Selectmen are also considering applying for a program that would support the hiring of three new police officers for three years, with the stipulation that the town retain those officers for one full year after the funding runs out.