DURHAM - The municipal portion of the town's tax rate is up 0.53 percent, or 4 cents over last year, according to numbers released Wednesday when the town received its final 2012 tax rate information from the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration.

The municipal tax rate rose from $7.57 per thousand dollars of valuation to $7.61.

Town Administrator Todd Selig said this is what had been projected last year as part of Durham's budget process.

The total school rate, which includes both local and state taxes, is up by 2.2 percent over 2011, or 40 cents, raising the rate to $18.42.

The county rate increased by 4.21 percent of 2011, or 11 cents to $2.72.

This increases the full tax rate for Durham for 2012 by 1.95 percent or 55 cents.

Selig said 64 percent of the town's budget is personnel related.

"So, for us to hold the line on spending as we have means cuts in staffing," Selig said.

This includes the loss of one police officer and contracting out assessing services to save money.

Selig said structural changes like this will continue to be the trend for Durham.

"The town council and staff worked hard last year to keep budgetary and tax rate increases to a minimum in light of the prevailing economic conditions," Selig said. "While extremely tight, the approved 2012 budget was generally able to continue to support existing levels of service as efficiently as possible."

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