Brookline Town Article 5 $938K bond to pave gravel roads defeated 49 Yes, 160 No (March 12, 2025)

Proposed 2025 Brookline Tax Increases

Total property tax rate impact of at least +$2.34/1K (+10.4%)

• Brookline School District:  +17.0% (increase of $1.26/1K)
  

• Town of Brookline:  At least +13.5% (increase of at least $0.62/1K) for operating budget alone
  

• Hollis Brookline Co-Op School District:  +5.2% (increase of at least $0.45/1K) as voted March 4, 2025
  
• Includes two "Green New Deal" bonds of $5.3M (boilers and LED lighting) and $2.2M (solar panels), paid 68.3% by Hollis

(click graph for larger version)

HB Co-Op Enrollment and Spending History and Proposed (now passed!)

Spending approved at town and school district meetings drive 96% of your property taxes. 

Please attend meetings below to stop the excessive spending and rein in property taxes.  Save the dates!

Brookline:

• Mar. 11, 2025 - Town/School Elections and Brookline School District Balloting Session, CSDA, vote anytime 7 am to 7:30 pm (or by absentee ballot)
  

• Mar. 12, 2025 - Brookline Town Meeting, CSDA, 7 pm
  

Hollis:

• Mar. 11, 2025 - Town/School Elections, Lawrence Barn, vote anytime 7 am to 7 pm (or by absentee ballot)

• Mar. 12, 2025 - Hollis School District Meeting, HBMS, 6:30 pm
  

• Mar. 15, 2025 - Hollis Town Meeting, HBHS, 9 am

---

Property Tax Increases based on results of 2024 Town/School/COOP Meetings

• Brookline:  
• 2024 tax increase:  $22.61/1K (+8.8%, +$1.83/1K) (Updated 10/29/2024)
  
• Biggest drivers of increase: Town (+$1.03/1K, +28.9%), COOP (+$0.73/1K, +9.2%)
• Estimated in March to be $22.64/1K (+9.0%, +$1.86/1K), off by $0.03/1K
• 2023 average 14% property tax increase, two-year increase of 24% (2022-2024)
  

 

• Hollis: 
  
• 2024 tax increase:  $17.73/1K (+6.4%, +$1.07/1K) (Updated 11/08/2024)
• Estimated in March to be $17.88/1K (+7.3%, +$1.22/1K), off by $0.15/1K
• 2023 average 19% property tax increase, two-year increase of 26.6% (2022-2024)

Most residents do not consider these tax increases to be reasonable or sustainable.  However, we the voters hold the power over the property tax rates, if we participate in local town and school meetings. 

---

Brookline
* 96% of property taxes come from spending approved by voters annually at the local town and school meetings!
* 4% of property taxes are for county spending, approved by the 155 state representatives for the towns/cities of Hillsborough County

* 76% of property taxes are for school spending
* 20% of property taxes are for town spending

---

Many residents are concerned about our students not reaching proficiency in our schools.  In many grades, we have 30%, 40%, or 50% of students who are not proficient in math, reading, and/or science.  The table below shows the number of students who are NOT proficient per the most recent statewide assessments.  To the right is the HB COOP assessment proficiency over the past three years.  This is very concerning.

 
Data Links from NH Dept of Education:
Brookline         Hollis      Hollis-Brookline Co-Op
https://www.nh.gov/t/DOE/views/iReport/Achievement

---

Organizer - Eric Pauer, info@hollisbrookline.com