Proposed Warrant Article Petitions Available for Signature

Signing event Tuesday, Dec 10, 5:00-7:30pm at Nottingham Community Church

The Warrant Article Petition Signing Event is on for Tuesday, December 10, at the Nottingham Community Church, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Most of the individuals who have proposed these warrant articles will be at the event. Please come by to talk to them and to sign any of these petitions that you think should be on the ballot for the town election in March. To get on the ballot, a petiton requires 25 signatures from registered Nottingham voters.

Please consider a donation to the Nottingham Community Church who have generously provided use of their building for this event.

Two more warrant article proposals have come in. The newest are listed first.

Stevens Hill Road Reconstruction

To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $120,000 for highway reconstruction and maintenance on Stevens Hill Road from Deerfield Road to the existing pavement. This is a non-lapsing appropriation per RSA 32:7 VI and will not lapse until the work is complete or not later than one year after the end of fiscal year 2025, whichever occurs earlier.

Sponsored by Dick Morris.

Censure the Town Attorney

To see if the town will vote to censure the law firm of Upton & Hatfield for its poor handling of the town’s legal affairs as Town Attorney.

Sponsored by Doug Bates.

Temporary Change to the Town Tax Cap

To see if the town will vote to approve a temporary 2-year 6% tax cap to be effective during fiscal years 2026 and 2027. This temporary 6% tax cap will be in place of the current 4% tax cap, that was approved by town meeting in 2021. In accordance with the provisions of RSA32:5, the temporary 6% tax cap is based on the actual amount of taxes raised by the prior fiscal year's operating budget, including any taxes approved by Warrant Article. The temporary 6% tax cap is needed to address serious budget shortfalls resulting from recent high economic inflation.

Sponsored by Sandra Jones (a member of the Budget Committee).

Adjust Tax Cap Calculation to Account for Inflation and Population Change

Shall we, under the provisions of RSA 32:5-b.I-b, account for inflation and changes in the town’s population by adopting the formula provided in the RSA for calculating the tax base to which the tax cap is to be applied: this year's base = (last year's base) x (1 + change in the Municipal Cost Index) x (this year's population / last year's population).

Sponsored by Doug Bates.

Establish a Fund for Swimming Lessons

To see if the town wishes to establish a $10,000 fund for providing swimming lessons during summers at town beach. The fund is to be managed by the Recreation Department, which will be authorized to charge fees for these lessons. Income from these fees will be used to offset expenditures from the swimming lesson fund.

Sponsored by Dan Davis.

Enhancement to the tax exemption for the disabled

This warrant article increases the tax exemption for the disabled by approximately 20%, and increases the income for qualifying for the exemption by approximately 20%.

Shall the town modify the provisions of RSA 72:37-b, Exemption for the Disabled from property tax, based on assessed value for qualified taxpayers to be $121,000. To qualify the person must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least 5 years, own the real estate individually or jointly, or if the real estate is owned by such person's spouse, they must have been married for at least 5 consecutive years. In addition the taxpayer must have a net income of not more than $46,000 or if married, a combined net income of not more than $58,000, and own net assets not in excess of $245,000 excluding the value of the person's residence.

Sponsored by Angela Pratt

Enhancement to the tax exemption for the elderly

This warrant article increases the tax exemption for the elderly by approximately 20%, and increases the income for qualifying for the exemption by approximately 20%.

Shall the town modify the provisions of RSA 72:39-a for elderly exemption from property tax in the Town of Nottingham, based on assessed value, for qualified taxpayers, to be as follows: for a person 65 years of age up to 75 years, $121,000; for a person 75 years of age up to 80 years,$170,000; for a person 80 years of age or older $220,000. To qualify, the person must have been a New Hampshire resident for at least 3 consecutive years, own the real estate individually or jointly, or if the real estate is owned by such person's spouse, they must have been married to each other for at least 5 consecutive years. In addition, the taxpayer must have a net income of not more than $46,000 or, if married, a combined net income of less than $58,000; and own net assets not in excess of $245,000 excluding the value of the person's residence.

Sponsored by Angela Pratt.