Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Applications Available

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. (DPI) and the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC) are co-facilitating The Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Grant Program made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
 
The program's purpose is to provide grants of up to $10,000 to eligible businesses affected by COVID-19 within ARPA's disproportionately impacted district of Pittsfield. The grant funds are to be used for physical improvements that will enhance the experience of foot traffic and create a visual vibrancy in the district. 
 
Applicants must be a for-profit business in operation since January 2021, be in good standing with the state and city, and be within ARPA's disproportionately impacted district. A map of the district is located at https://downtownpittsfield.com/2023/01/pittsfield-glow-up-business-improvement-grants
 
"Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. is pleased to be working with the Pittsfield Economic Revitalization Corporation (PERC) on The Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Grant Program," says Rebecca Brien, Managing Director of Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. "Thanks to ARPA funding provided by the City of Pittsfield, we are able to help small businesses on projects that the struggles of the past few years made impossible. This program can help with that fresh coat of paint; a new, easy to see sign; or lighting in a spruced-up entryway. We want to see our city become the bright, beautiful, and vibrant district we know it can be!" 
 
Eligible uses of grant funding include Painting (interior and exterior), Signage (building or blade), Lighting Improvements (exterior or window), Flooring Replacement, Entryway Upgrades, Windows (replacement, washing), Awnings (new or replacements), Accessibility Improvements, and Select Interior Improvements or Repairs (note that furniture, fixtures, and equipment are not eligible). 
 
The first-round application of intent for The Pittsfield Glow Up! Business Improvement Grant is due by Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, at 11:59 pm.
 
To view the full criteria and access the online application, visit https://downtownpittsfield.com/2023/01/pittsfield-glow-up-business-improvement-grants. Paper copies of the application are available at the Downtown Pittsfield, Inc. office at 33 Dunham Mall. 
 
Any grant-related questions may be directed to Rebecca Brien, Managing Director of Downtown Pittsfield, Inc., at 413-443-6501 or businessdevelopment@downtownpittsfield.com

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Lanesborough Sets Single Tax Rate, Bills to Increase

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

LANESBOROUGH, Mass.— The average homeowner's tax bill for fiscal year 2025 will rise about $360.

On Monday, the Select Board adopted a single tax rate of $16.73 per $1,000 valuation.

The rate is a 28-cent decrease from the previous year but the average single-family home valued at $345,786 will see a tax bill increase of $362, totaling $5,785. The average commercial property (estimated at $535,317) will see a $23 increase, paying nearly $9,000 in property taxes annually.

Last year, the same single-family home valued at about $318,800 saw a $107 increase on its bill.

"When people get their tax bills, please remember that you voted for this a town meeting," Select Board member Deborah Maynard said.

"You voted for this budget to be spent."

The tax rate is calculated by dividing the $9.9 million tax levy by the total value of all properties, nearly $592 million, and multiplying it by 1,000. The town will have about $1.6 million in excess levy capacity in FY25, about $150,000 lower than the prior year.

"I know a lot of people think that it has to do with assessments. It's not the assessment that's driving the bill up, it's the levy," Principal Assessor Ross Vivori explained.

"Because if the assessments go up, it drives the tax rate down and if nothing else changed, the bills would stay the same."

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