By Mary Chasse, Neighb News Correspondent
At its meeting on Friday 11/19 the board met briefly to discuss the FY 2022 tax rate, and renting air quality monitors for the neighborhood surrounding PJ Keating.
The board first reopened the hearing to discuss the 2022 tax rate and tax shift. At the last Selectboard meeting the board met with Principal Assessor Kelly Koska about the options for the 2022 property tax rates.
At that meeting Ms. Koska explained that the Selectboard has chosen a 25% tax shift for the last eight years, which is the difference between the rate for residential properties and commercial, personal property (for business), and industrial properties (CIP).
The Selectboard decided to table the discussion to look at more data, but had to make a decision before Thanksgiving at this 11/19 meeting.
At the 11/19 meeting board member Kevin Gaspar said the tax rate depends on how much money the town spends every year and the less the town spends the lower the tax rate.
Mr. Gaspar asked if the board had to increase the rate by 2%.
Town Administrator Julie Hebert said they do not have to but if they do not increase it by 2% it will cut the levy limit for next year.
Mr. Gaspar said he just got the values for commercial properties yesterday, but he thought the town should just stick to the status quo with the 25% tax shift.
Board member David Wojnar said he agreed that keeping the shift at 25% was the best way to go.
Chairperson David Desroches said the assessor said to do a shift of 5% but 125 is good.
The board voted unanimously to leave the shift at 125 (25%).
Mr. Wojnar said that next year they should mark it in their calendars to start collecting data and research for tax rates earlier next year, such as after July 1st.
In a follow-up phone interview, Ms. Koska said the rate itself was not announced because it has not been set yet.
“Becasue we have to finish our final numbers to the Department of Revenue,” said Ms. Koska.
It depends on what the state decides the maximum levy will be, then how much of that the Selectboard decides to use.
If they go to the max, based on a $20.5 million tax levy, the rate will be $13.34 per $1,000 for residential, and $17.27 for CIP. Last year’s rate was $13.83 for residential $17.86. The drop in rate does not, however, mean that an individual property tax bill will go down. As property values increase, the rate goes down, pretty much equalizing the result. Massachusetts has a cap on the tax levy of 2.5% (Proposition 2 1/2), plus new growth.
In another matter the board discussed renting air monitors for an air quality study in the PJ Keating neighborhood.
Mr. Desroches said the cost to rent three air monitors for two months would be around $6,500-$7,500.
The board voted unanimously to pay for the monitors.
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