Alna property owners will pay 15 cents less for every thousands dollars of assessed valuation this year. First Selectman David Abbott said that at a meeting Tuesday night, the board set this year’s tax rate at $20.45, or $2,045 for a $100,000 home. The 2015 rate was $20.60.

Abbott calculated the new rate based on voters’ decisions last March to offset taxes with $100,000 in excise taxes and 80 percent of the town’s surplus. He said the 80 percent came out to $85,405. Also offsetting taxes is a projected $43,861 in state aid, he said.

Two weeks earlier, Abbott predicted the rate would be close to last year’s. After Tuesday’s meeting, he and Third Selectman Doug Baston Doug Baston said they were pleased the prediction bore out. “I’m glad we could pretty much keep (the rate) level. That’s what we were trying to do,” Abbott said.

“Tiny down is better than no down,” Baston said about the decrease.

The board will meet next at 6 p.m. Oct. 12 at the town office.