City Of Portsmouth Tax Assessors Office. Portsmouth Property Tax Calculator, information on Portsmouth property values, tax exemptions, tax abatements and Portsmouth Tax Rates. Links to NH property tax information, tax publications, taxes for low and moderate income and state property tax relief.
The City of Portsmouth has released the assessments for the
tax year 2004-2005 (click
here). Tax bills based on the 2004 assessments will be
sent out by November 1st and are due by December 1st. The
tax rate will be available in mid-October once the
Department of Revenue certifies the rate in accordance with
state law.
The City of Portsmouth did not raise all the assessments to
100% of fair market value as was done previously. New
legislation passed in June 2004, HB 426, made this process
procedurally impossible. Instead, based on existing law RSA
75:8, all classes of property were reviewed and adjusted (if
necessary) to maintain proportionality. Based on this
review, commercial and industrial property values were
adjusted within the City of Portsmouth for the 2004 tax year
to become proportional with all other properties. Therefore,
approximately 95% of residential property values have not
changed and shall have a reduction in their 2004 tax bill.
Residential properties with renovations and additions will
be adjusted as required by law.
A recent New Hampshire Supreme Court decision upholding
Portsmouth's challenge to how the State calculated the
City's 2002 valuation will result in at least a $175,448
savings for the City for fiscal year 2005. Portsmouth was
successful in challenging the New Hampshire Department of
Revenue Administration's inclusion of all of the Pease
Development Authority municipal services fee in the City's
2002 equalized valuation. The ruling will result in a $50
million reduction in the 2002 equalized valuation. When the
State determines the amount of statewide property taxes each
community must raise for education, it bases the total on
this equalized valuation of two years prior.
Therefore, Portsmouth will be required to send $924,192 in
excess statewide property taxes to Concord for education
funding in other communities -- $175,448 less than expected.
Legislation requiring Portsmouth to "donate" $1,099,640 in
Fiscal Year 2005 passed the Legislature in the closing hours
of the session.
Portsmouth's share of Rockingham County taxes also is based
on its equalized valuation, so that rate also is expected to
be less than originally anticipated. Once all these rates
are finalized, the City of Portsmouth shall publish the new
tax rate.
The City of Portsmouth has again provided an updated
tax calculator for the 2004 tax rate. This tax
calculator can be found online at (
Please click here) for residents to use to estimate
their tax bills. The
2004 and the 2003 assessments are also be listed on this
website.
Property owners who disagree with their assessments may
request a review of the value by the City Assessor's Office
by filing an abatement after November 1st, and no later than
March 1st. The Assessor's Office has until July 1st
following the notice of tax to grant or deny the abatement
application. A taxpayer may appeal the Assessor's Office
decision by filing with either the State of New Hampshire
Board of Tax and Land Appeals, or Rockingham County Superior
Court by September 1st.
Contact Information:
City Assessor: Lauren Elliott
Deputy Assessor: Rosann Maurice
Office Staff: Debbie Brock and Karyn Newton
Address:1 Junkins Avenue, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Phone:(603) 610 - 7249
