When I talk with neighbors in Ward 5, one issue rises above all others: property taxes. Dover’s rising tax bills are stretching household budgets to the breaking point. Seniors on fixed incomes, working families, and even first responders are asking the same painful question—can we still afford to live here?
This isn’t an abstract debate. It’s about whether Dover remains a community where people can put down roots and stay, or whether rising costs will hollow us out.
Why Taxes Keep Climbing
Several forces are at work—rising home values, inflation in city services, and increasing county taxes. But one of the biggest drivers is the School Department’s budget.
In FY2026, Dover allocated $83.1 million to the schools, up from $60.4 million in FY2021—a 38% increase in just five years. Why? Largely because the State of New Hampshire has failed to meet its constitutional obligation to adequately fund public education. The State has lost Supreme Court cases on this issue, yet continues to drag its feet.
While we wait for the State to act responsibly, Dover taxpayers are left carrying the burden. That means difficult choices locally, and it is painful. I don’t raise this to pit the schools against the city—we all want strong schools. But it’s a clear example of why accountability and smarter prioritization are essential.
Not a Call to Cut Schools
This is not a call to cut school funding. The School Board and district administration put forward budgets they believe are necessary to prepare our children for the future. For some, the word accountability sounds like “cuts and rationing.” I disagree. To me, accountability means measuring the impact of how we spend our money.
That means identifying which efforts are working well and which are missing the mark. It’s about maximizing the value we receive from the budget—and just as importantly, recognizing when something is delivering great results so we can invest more in what works.
| Fiscal Year | School Department | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2021 | $60.4M | — |
| FY 2022 | $61.7M | +2% |
| FY 2023 | $67.9M | +12% |
| FY 2024 | $71.7M | +19% |
| FY 2025 | $78.4M | +30% |
| FY 2026 | $83.1M | +38% |
Rising Home Values
Taxes are also rising because property values are rising. On paper, that sounds like a good thing. In practice, it means your tax bill grows even when you make no changes to your home.
Why are values climbing? Limited open space, high demand for housing, speculative buying, and strong in-migration to the Seacoast all drive up assessments. When combined with rising budgets, the result is a heavier burden on households year after year.
That’s not the Dover we want to become. We don’t want a city where only the wealthiest can afford to stay. Let that sort of thing stay in Portsmouth.
City Operations
City operations have grown nearly 43% since FY2021. That growth reflects inflation, new staff positions, and expanded services. Some of it is justified, but it raises hard questions: Are we prioritizing the essentials? Are we modernizing to keep costs down? Are we measuring outcomes, or simply layering new costs on top of old ones?
I look forward to working with City Manager Michael Joyal and his very capable team to identify ways to slow down city operations budget rate of growth without sacrificing Dover quality of life.
| Fiscal Year | City Operations | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2021 | $42.7M | — |
| FY 2022 | $45.0M | +5% |
| FY 2023 | $49.5M | +16% |
| FY 2024 | $51.1M | +20% |
| FY 2025 | $55.6M | +30% |
| FY 2026 | $61.0M | +43% |
What Can We Do
As your City Councilor, I will:
- Seek accountability for every dollar — no automatic rollovers; must show results.
- Prioritize essentials first — roads, water, schools, and public safety before anything else.
- Encourage modernizing city operations — invest in efficiency to lower long-term costs.
- Protect vulnerable residents — maintain and expand relief tools for seniors, veterans, and longtime homeowners at risk of being priced out.
I’m not saying Dover should stop investing in its future. What I am saying is that we must not act like every idea is affordable, every year. We need to make choices and set focused priorities. That is what responsible stewardship looks like.
