Lanesborough Select Board OKs Single Tax Rate

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday voted to adopt a single tax rate that will mean the average homeowners' tax bill will go up by $107.
 
The tax rate will be $17 per $1,000 assessed value, down 67 cents from last year. 
 
This is the third year the rate has decreased but rising home values account for the increase in property taxes. On the other hand, the average commercial property tax bill will decrease by more than $400 due to devaluation.
 
Town Assessor Ross Vivori explained that over the last couple of years, people have been spending more on residential housing than commercial properties, which accounts for the discrepancy.
 
"They are overspending on residential," he said. "Whether that's all related to COVID, people moving from the cities to here, but that's driving that residential value up and you're just not seeing that on the commercial side so that's coming down and, of course, with the tax rate coming down, you're also seeing that being reflected in the commercial tax rate."
 
The average single-family home valued at $318,803 will have an annual tax bill of $5,420 in fiscal 2024. Last year, the average home was valued at $300,705 home and billed $5,313.
 
The average commercial property is valued at $525,450, a decrease from $528,697 in FY23, and will pay $8,933 in property taxes.
 
A single tax rate maintains a residential factor of 1. It allows for all classes of property to pay only their share of the tax levy without shifting the burden to any particular property class.
 
Select Board member Timothy Sorrell said many homeowners are wondering why they see an increase when businesses do not. He previously asked for information on a split tax rate in response to that concern.
 
Vivori confirmed that commercial properties also pay personal property tax on items. 
 
William Prendergast, who served for 12 years on the board, spoke in favor of a single rate. He wants to make sure that businesses have as fair of a shake as they can in today's economy.
 
"We went through this process every year and we decided after a lot of discussion that a single rate was most appropriate just because none of the rest applied," he said.
 
"All that going with a split rate would have done was put more pressure on the businesses and it really wasn't going to benefit the residents that much so we felt that it was appropriate to stay with a single rate."
 
The FY24 levy of $9,409,579 is a $282,754, or 3 percent, increase from the previous year and the total taxable value of the town is $553,504,681. The excess levy capacity is $1,785,200 with a maximum allowable levy of $11,194,780.
 
"We saw some pretty good growth in the town. We saw $16,757,189 in growth," Vivori reported.
 
"There was $1,602,000 in residential $2,272,900 industrial, and $12,882,289 in personal property. That growth times last year's tax rate generated $296,099 in tax revenue."
 
New growth is generated through the construction of new homes, additions, substantial remodels, or the creation of condos.

Tags: fiscal 2024,   property taxes,   tax classification,   

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Lanesborough to Negotiate New HCA With Only Dispensary

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. Due to evolving state regulations, the town must settle on a new or amended host community agreement with its only dispensary.
 
On Monday, Feb. 24, the Select Board voted to allow Town Administrator Gina Dario to work with counsel towards a resolution.  Dario felt that both parties were willing to come up with a practical solution.
 
Liberty Market, located on North Main Street, has requested a new host community agreement or host community agreement waiver in lieu thereof.  The town was sent a notice of non-compliance from the Cannabis Control Commission in January.
 
"The discussion for the Select Board is whether or not to proceed with either a redrafting of the current host community agreement or a re-negotiation of a new host community agreement that uses a more prescriptive template that is being provided by The Cannabis Control Commission," Dario explained.
 
A couple of years ago, the Canabis Control Commission (CCC) approved changes to the state's adult and medical use regulations including policies that implement the agency's oversight of host community agreements, new equity requirements, and suitability reform.
 
"The Cannabis Control Commission is taking the position that changes to the cannabis laws which went into effect in November of 2022 are retroactive and affect pre-existing agreements, such as the one that the town has with Liberty Market," Attorney Nicole Costanzo said.
 
"Of course, there are some novel legal issues presented as to whether or not the legislative changes do retroactively affect pre-existing host community agreements. It's my understanding that the town does want to work with Liberty Market nevertheless and try and get them a "compliant" agreement for purposes of the Cannabis Control Commission issuing them a license renewal to move forward."
 
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