Nashua Mayor Donchess Is Crying "Wolf!" about Property Taxes - Granite Grok

Nashua Mayor Donchess Is Crying “Wolf!” about Property Taxes

Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess

In a September 20, 2020 Board of Aldermen meeting, the mayor and the Aldermen were discussing a Pilot Program for Pennichuck Water.  The agenda and/or the actual Pilot Program did not mention the amount of money that the program would cost Nashua taxpayers however it did mention:

As to any such properties, Pennichuck shall NOT be liable for municipal real estate taxes but shall instead make a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) each year in accordance with the NH RSA 72:74.

Bottom line the Solar Company will now get the real estate property taxes that Pennichuck would have paid the City of Nashua. All Taxpayers are funding this.

Because none of the Aldermen even questioned how much money was involved, I started digging into the Pilot Programs created by the City.

In reviewing the February 2021 financial statements for the City of Nashua, the revenue section was showing a deduction of $418,887.15 as Pilots/Payment in Lieu of Taxes. Of course, dealing with the City of Nashua and knowing that they do not want the Nashua taxpayers to find out what they are doing, it took three Right To Know Requests to finally get an answer.

The bottom line is as of February 2021 the City of Nashua is giving a credit on property taxes to the following properties:

  • Nashua Housing Authority (NHA)   $162,034.47
  • Hunt Community                                 $256,858.68
  • Total                                                        $418,887.15

Please remember that getting this information was like pulling teeth and the city did not want to tell the residents what was going on.  However, the Nashua Housing Authority is entitled to get the decrease in property taxes due to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development – Low-Rent Housing program.  On the other hand, Hunt Community has made a deal with the City of Nashua to have decreased property taxes until March 31, 2028, at which point it can be extended.

But the City will not reveal how much Nashua taxpayers are going to lose with the Pennichuck Water deal. We deserve the answer.

Every time the mayor blames the State of New Hampshire for increases in Nashua’s property taxes, residents need to call the mayor out.

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