City says tax rate will be $39.82

BERLIN — The city council Monday night approved a 2019 property tax rate of $39.82 per thousand of assessment; an increase of 55 cents over the 2018 rate of $39.27. That figure still faces final approval by the N.H. Department of Revenue Administration.

To keep the tax rate under $40, the council voted to take just over $1 million from its undesignated fund balance to reduce taxes, leaving the fund with a balance of $800,000. The reduction in the undesignated fund balance — money that is available in case of an unanticipated emergency — clearly made the council uncomfortable.