Big property tax hike sends Dudley residents reeling
By
Debbie LaPlaca
Correspondent
Posted Jan 7, 2019 at 9:23 PM
Updated Jan 7, 2019 at 9:23 PM
DUDLEY – Property owners in town are reeling in this new year from a
tax bill increase that for many was as much as 40 percent higher than
the bill received just a few months ago.
For some, it was the night before Christmas when the third quarter property tax bill arrived, demanding $13.50 per $1,000 in property valuation, a $1.77 increase over last year.
Complaints lit up phones in town offices and accusations were flung on social media.
“I’m not trying to irritate anyone, but they need to get their facts in order,” Selectman Steven P. Sullivan said at a board meeting Monday. “It’s very disheartening that the people who probably didn’t vote are complaining the loudest.”
One disgruntled resident, he said, suggested the whole Board of Selectmen should be recalled for allowing such a large increase.
Town Administrator Greg L. Balukonis said the bills reflect the will of the people and Dudley’s tax rate remains the lowest in the region.
Most of the tax increase, he said, is attributable to the $1.5 million Proposition 2½ override to fund the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District, approved at an April election.
“The bottom line is people voted for this,” Selectman John J. Marsi said.
A multitude of social media posts reported tax bill increases ranging from $300 to $1,000 over last year and confusion as to the cause.
A few posts placed blame on the assessor’s office.
Principal Assessor Lisa L. Berg said in an interview that her office has dealt with an overwhelming number of irate taxpayers since the bills went out.
“We had a week to a week and a half that we didn’t get anything done but explain the process. We don’t just pick numbers out of the sky,” she said. “The tax rate is set by the budget. The assessor’s job is to value your property, and many factors contribute to that valuation.”
Ms. Berg said the valuation process is regulated by state law and scrutinized by the state Department of Revenue.
“A small portion of the increase is because we bumped the values up a little bit,” she said.
“Replacement costs and sales have increased. We were finding that homes were selling anywhere from $60,000 to $80,000 higher than we have them assessed, so it was clear we had them under-assessed.”
Perhaps most surprising was the public’s surprise, Ms. Berg said.
Both elections, where voters approved the education override and earlier, a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to rebuild the fire station, were heavily publicized by town officials and widely reported by local media.
During the public meetings leading up to the election, selectmen and
financial leaders made known their support for the ballot initiative
that sought to permanently raise taxes above the limits of Proposition
2½ to meet state-mandated increases in their contributions to
Dudley-Charlton Regional.
The $1,544,333 override passed in Dudley 724-533, and the $1,543,655 from Charlton passed 1,217 to 719.
In Dudley, it added $1.58 to last year’s tax rate, bringing it to $13.31 per $1,000 in assessed property value.
A vote of 3,264 in favor and 2,037 opposed approved a $6.5 million Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to reconstruct the town’s fire station in the November 2016 election. The town borrowed the money to start construction this summer, which added another 19 cents to the tax rate, bringing it to $13.50.
Part of the misunderstanding, Mr. Balukonis said, is because first and second quarter tax bills, issued July 1 and Sept. 1, were estimates based on last year’s rate. The new rate isn’t certified by the state Department of Revenue until shortly before the third quarter bill goes out.
Once the tax rate is set, Treasurer/Tax Collector Richard A. Carmignani Jr. calculates the annual tax due and deducts what was paid in the first two quarters to determine the balance. That balance is divided between the two remaining bills, for the third and fourth quarter.
Therefore, the tax bill received just before Christmas carries amounts retroactive to July 1, he said.
Mr. Carmignani said his office also received much grief from
taxpayers. Some received their tax bills on Christmas Eve, which was
unintentional, he said. The bill mailing date is governed by state law.
The third quarter bills were printed at Town Hall on Dec. 13 and went to
the agency that processes the town’s bulk mail on Dec. 14.
Mr. Carmignani said some tax relief will come next fiscal year. Debt on the Dudley Middle School construction and the purchase of police vehicles totaling $623,566 retires on June 30.
Ms. Berg said that retired debt, in today’s numbers, would drop the $13.50 tax rate by 61 cents to $12.89.
For some, it was the night before Christmas when the third quarter property tax bill arrived, demanding $13.50 per $1,000 in property valuation, a $1.77 increase over last year.
Complaints lit up phones in town offices and accusations were flung on social media.
“I’m not trying to irritate anyone, but they need to get their facts in order,” Selectman Steven P. Sullivan said at a board meeting Monday. “It’s very disheartening that the people who probably didn’t vote are complaining the loudest.”
One disgruntled resident, he said, suggested the whole Board of Selectmen should be recalled for allowing such a large increase.
Town Administrator Greg L. Balukonis said the bills reflect the will of the people and Dudley’s tax rate remains the lowest in the region.
Most of the tax increase, he said, is attributable to the $1.5 million Proposition 2½ override to fund the Dudley-Charlton Regional School District, approved at an April election.
“The bottom line is people voted for this,” Selectman John J. Marsi said.
A multitude of social media posts reported tax bill increases ranging from $300 to $1,000 over last year and confusion as to the cause.
Principal Assessor Lisa L. Berg said in an interview that her office has dealt with an overwhelming number of irate taxpayers since the bills went out.
“We had a week to a week and a half that we didn’t get anything done but explain the process. We don’t just pick numbers out of the sky,” she said. “The tax rate is set by the budget. The assessor’s job is to value your property, and many factors contribute to that valuation.”
Ms. Berg said the valuation process is regulated by state law and scrutinized by the state Department of Revenue.
“A small portion of the increase is because we bumped the values up a little bit,” she said.
“Replacement costs and sales have increased. We were finding that homes were selling anywhere from $60,000 to $80,000 higher than we have them assessed, so it was clear we had them under-assessed.”
Perhaps most surprising was the public’s surprise, Ms. Berg said.
Both elections, where voters approved the education override and earlier, a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to rebuild the fire station, were heavily publicized by town officials and widely reported by local media.
The $1,544,333 override passed in Dudley 724-533, and the $1,543,655 from Charlton passed 1,217 to 719.
In Dudley, it added $1.58 to last year’s tax rate, bringing it to $13.31 per $1,000 in assessed property value.
A vote of 3,264 in favor and 2,037 opposed approved a $6.5 million Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to reconstruct the town’s fire station in the November 2016 election. The town borrowed the money to start construction this summer, which added another 19 cents to the tax rate, bringing it to $13.50.
Part of the misunderstanding, Mr. Balukonis said, is because first and second quarter tax bills, issued July 1 and Sept. 1, were estimates based on last year’s rate. The new rate isn’t certified by the state Department of Revenue until shortly before the third quarter bill goes out.
Once the tax rate is set, Treasurer/Tax Collector Richard A. Carmignani Jr. calculates the annual tax due and deducts what was paid in the first two quarters to determine the balance. That balance is divided between the two remaining bills, for the third and fourth quarter.
Therefore, the tax bill received just before Christmas carries amounts retroactive to July 1, he said.
Mr. Carmignani said some tax relief will come next fiscal year. Debt on the Dudley Middle School construction and the purchase of police vehicles totaling $623,566 retires on June 30.
Ms. Berg said that retired debt, in today’s numbers, would drop the $13.50 tax rate by 61 cents to $12.89.
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