When the property tax rate for Keene was determined in June, 1909, the purchase of the Hale property, along with increased spending by municipal departments, had increased the rate by .30 per $100 valuation.
Keene Evening Sentinel
June 2, 1909
Page 7
TAX RATE TWO DOLLARS
A Considerably Higher Rate in Keene This Year Than Ever Before.
The assessors have completed the annual inventory of property in Keene and have determined the tax rate for the year, which will be $2.00 on each $100.00. The poll tax, which is assessed on the same basis as the rate per $100.00, will therefore be $2. Last year the poll tax was $1.70
The valuation of the property in the city in 1908, exclusive of polls, was $7,058, 794. There were 2,584 polls that year, making the total valuation $7,317,194
This year the valuation of property has increased to $7,122,388 and there are 2,679 polls, an increase of 95. This gives a total valuation for 1909 of $7,390,288.
The increase in the valuation of real estate and stock in trade is small, but there has been quite an increase in bank stocks and other taxable funds which the assessors have found. The number of domestic animals not including dogs remains about the same as before, but there are less horses, a few less cattle and a few more sheep, although there are less than one hundred of the latter in all.
The increased tax rate is made necessary by larger county and state taxes and by larger municipal appropriations. The county and city taxes which the city will have to pay will be about $12,000. The city tax is also larger, the item of $12,000 to pay for the normal school site, all of which the councils recently voted to raise this year, accounting for a large proportion of the increase of taxes in the city, although it is apparent that all the municipal departments are using more money from year to year and additional facilities and improvements are constantly being called for.
It is probable that a very substantial sum of money will have to be provided by the city this year to meet its share of the cost of the west side boulevard, which it may be assumed will pass through Keene, and one-half of the cost of which will have to be borne by the city. How much work will be done this year remains to be seen. The additional funds required will have to be borrowed.