posted on 2/13/2025; updated 2/14/2025

City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the City Council at its meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The presentation kicks off several weeks of budget meetings, workshops, and public hearings.

The City Manager's proposed budget includes the School Board's recommended budget for the School Department, which it adopted on Jan. 6, 2025. The proposed budget and a video recording of the City Manager's presentation are posted on the FY2026 Budget Revealed webpage, where other budget documents will be posted in subsequent weeks. All of the School Board’s budget documents are posted to the same page. Physical copies of the FY2026 budget are available for review at the City Clerk's office and Dover Public Library, which is temporarily located in the McConnell Center.

The total proposed FY2026 budget totals $207,557,289 across all funds, an increase of $8,770,483, or 4.4%. The General Fund budget totals $169,004,444, an increase of $10,937,669, or 6.9%. As proposed, the budget exceeds the tax cap calculation for the General Fund by $2,389,687, with the School Board's recommended budget being $2,526,603 above the school side of the tax cap calculation, which is slightly offset on the city side being $136,916 below its half of the tax-cap calculation. For the City Council to adopt the budget as currently proposed would require a two-thirds affirmative vote by the City Council as opposed to a simple majority.

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City Council receives Fiscal Year 2026 budget

posted on 2/13/2025; updated 2/14/2025

City Manager J. Michael Joyal, Jr. presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the City Council at its meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. The presentation kicks off several weeks of budget meetings, workshops, and public hearings.

The City Manager's proposed budget includes the School Board's recommended budget for the School Department, which it adopted on Jan. 6, 2025. The proposed budget and a video recording of the City Manager's presentation are posted on the FY2026 Budget Revealed webpage, where other budget documents will be posted in subsequent weeks. All of the School Board’s budget documents are posted to the same page. Physical copies of the FY2026 budget are available for review at the City Clerk's office and Dover Public Library, which is temporarily located in the McConnell Center.

The total proposed FY2026 budget totals $207,557,289 across all funds, an increase of $8,770,483, or 4.4%. The General Fund budget totals $169,004,444, an increase of $10,937,669, or 6.9%. As proposed, the budget exceeds the tax cap calculation for the General Fund by $2,389,687, with the School Board's recommended budget being $2,526,603 above the school side of the tax cap calculation, which is slightly offset on the city side being $136,916 below its half of the tax-cap calculation. For the City Council to adopt the budget as currently proposed would require a two-thirds affirmative vote by the City Council as opposed to a simple majority.

Based on the average residential property assessment of $524,638 the estimated average property tax bill, based on the proposed budget, is $10,109, an increase of $578, or 6%. The final tax rate for Fiscal Year 2026 will be certified by the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration in the fall of 2025 once it has information on the adopted budget and taxable assessed property values.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the public education side of the budget at its meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. The public hearing on the city side of the budget will be held at the City Council’s Wednesday, March 12, 2025 meeting. Members of the public may also voice their input during the Public Forum section of any City Council meeting or budget workshop, or email the City Council at CityCouncil-All@dover.nh.gov. 

Budget Meeting Schedule

All budget meetings begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

  • Thursday, Feb. 20 – Workshop: School, Executive, Finance, Planning, and Welfare departmental budget presentations
  • Wednesday, Feb. 26 – Regular Meeting: School Budget Public Hearing
  • Wednesday, March 5 – Workshop: Police, Fire and Rescue, and Recreation departmental budget presentations
  • Wednesday, March 12 – Regular Meeting: City Budget Public Hearing
  • Wednesday, March 19 – Workshop: Community Services, Library, and DoverNet departmental budget presentations
  • Wednesday, March 26 – Regular Meeting (Public can speak during Public Forum)
  • Wednesday, April 2 – 6 p.m. Workshop: General Budget Review
  • Wednesday, April 2 – Special Meeting: Budget Adoption (immediately following the workshop)
  • Wednesday, April 9 – Regular Meeting: Fallback budget adoption date

During the budget season, City Manager Joyal will also release a weekly newsletter that recaps any budget-related presentations and a look ahead to what will occur the following week. Sign up for the newsletter at bit.ly/doverdownload, and select "Budget Revealed" from the list of newsletters.

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