Tax rate is set and higher

MASON – The new tax rate is $17.60 per $1,000 of valuation, up from last year’s rate of $16.

That’s $1.60 more, or an increase of 10 percent.

The largest increase is in the local schools portion, which is $8.66, up from last year’s $5.96. The increase is due, in part, to a change in funding that is now based 25 percent on equalized valuation.

The town portion is down 2 cents to $5.38, from $5.40; state school portion is $2.53, down from $3.68; and the county portion is down a dollar to $1.09, from $2.09.

Mason has an equalized valuation of 104 percent, showing an increase in valuation since the last revaluation.