Process Overview
- Create warrant articles and (optionally) request a pre-review
- Submit the Proposed Budget
- Submit the Appropriations as Voted
- Submit Revised Estimated Revenues
- Submit Valuation Data
- Setting the Tax Rate
Note that the MS-535 is typically submitted earlier in the year, outside of the steps listed above (See: The MS-535 Submission Process)
Creating Warrant Articles
The process begins each year with the drafting of the warrant articles (See: Creating Warrant Articles). Each article contains the proposed appropriations, initial offsetting revenue estimates, and the article language. Once all articles have been entered into the Portal, you have the option of requesting a review from your advisor prior to finalizing the proposed budget (See: The Pre-Review Process).
Submitting the Proposed Budget
The articles, with their respective appropriations and revenues, are rolled up by the system into your proposed budget, which you will submit after entering or verifying the prior year actual expenditures and revenues. This produces the MS-636 or MS-737 for towns and villages, the MS-6C for cities, or the MS-26 or MS-27 for school districts (See: Finalizing the Proposed Budget).
Submitting the Appropriations as Voted
Following annual meeting, the meeting outcome is entered into the Portal for each of the warrant articles. Here, you specify whether an article passed or failed and whether it was amended. If an article is amended, you will provide the amendment details, including any changes to the appropriations (See: Entering Appropriations as Voted). These voted appropriations are submitted through the Portal to produce your MS-232 for towns/cities and villages or your MS-22 for school districts (See: Finalizing the Appropriations as Voted). Your advisor at the NH DRA will review the submitted appropriations. Once their review is completed, you will be able to view and print the MS-232-R for towns/cities and villages or the MS-22-R for school districts.
Submitting the Revised Estimated Revenues
Revisions to your estimated revenues will be submitted later in the year. Once submitted, they undergo a review process similar to the Appropriations (See: Entering the Revised Estimated Revenues). Once the review is complete, you will be able to view and print the MS-434-R for towns/cities and villages or the MS-24-R for school districts.
Submitting Valuation Data
The valuation of the town/city or village district is submitted via the MS-1 (MS-1V for villages).
Setting the Tax Rate
The Appropriations from the MS-232-R (or MS-22-R) and the Revised Estimated Revenues from the MS-434-R (or MS-24-R) are used to determine the total amount to be raised through taxes. This is divided by the valuation from the MS-1 (or MS-1V) to calculate the tax rate.