HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-09-2011 taxMichael J. Driscoll
Town Manager
TOWN OF WATERTOWN
Office of the Town Manager
Administration Building
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972-6465
Fax: 617-972-6404
www.watertown-ma.gov
townmgr@watertown-ma.gov
To: Honorable Town Council
From: Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager
Date: November 3, 2011
RE: Fiscal Note - Exemptions
aesigem
Enclosed please find correspondence from Francis J. Golden, Chairman, Board of
Assessors regarding the Optional Additional Property Tax Exemption Order that will be
considered at the November 22, 2011 Town Council meeting.
As stated in Mr. Golden's correspondence, the cost of exemptions to 100% maximum
allowable increase above statutory levels is projected to be $228,800, which will be paid from
the overlay account.
Mr. Golden will be attending the November 22, 2011 Town Council meeting and
available for any further discussion on this matter.
cc: Francis J. Golden, Chairman, Board of Assessors
Thomas J. Tracy, Town Auditor
Phyllis L. Marshall, Town Treasurer/Collector
TOWN OF WATERTOWN
Board of Assessors
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
149 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Phone: 617-972.6410
Fax: 617-972-6497
www.watertown-ma.gov
Francis J. Golden, Chairman
To: Michael J. Driscoll, Town Manager
From: Francis J. Golden, Chairman of the Board of Assessors
Re: Property Tax Exemptions
Joseph B. Dabry III, Esq.
Richard V. Moynihan
November 1, 2011
On November 25, 2003, The Town Council voted to accept the provisions of Chapter 73
of the Acts of 1986, as amended by Chapter 126 of the Acts of 1988 for the Fiscal Year
2004. This acceptance had the effect of increasing by 100% the amounts available under
Massachusetts General Law Chapter 59, Section 5, Clauses 17D, 22, 22A, 22B, 22C,
22D, 22E, 37A and 41C.
In addition, The Council also voted to accept the provisions of Chapter 184, Section 51 of
the Acts of 2002 for all those property owners who are otherwise eligible for exemption
under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 59, Section 5, and Clause 41C. This
acceptance had the effect of increasing income and asset requirements by the maximum
allowed under Chapter 184, Section 51 of the Acts of 2002.
Because there were no changes this year in the law altering the exemptions amounts or
qualifications for any of these statutory exemptions, the Board of Assessors recommends
maintaining these amounts and qualifications at their current level for Fiscal Year 2012.
The Chart on the following page lists the current exemption amounts and the
expenditures in those categories for Fiscal Year 2011 which totaled $228,800.
FISCA L Y EAR 2011 EXEM PTIO NS
EXEMPTIO N CLAUSE D ESCRIPTIO N
STATE
REIMBUSEMENT UP TO A STATUTOR Y LOCA L OPTION
RA TE PER RECIPIENT LIM IT OF AMO UNT AMO UNT
CLAUSE 17D QUA LIFIED SURV IVING SPOUSES ORSENIO $ 175.00 $54,656.00 $ 175.00 $ 350. 00
OVER AGE 70
FISCA L 2011
CLAUSE 22 (A -D, F) QUALIFIED DISABLED VETERANS A ND SUR& $ 225.00 NO LIM IT $ 400. 00 $ 800.00
MERIT SPOUSES OF QUA LIFIED DISA BLED Vt I tRANS
CLAUSE 22E MERIT 100% DISABLED VETERANS
S 825.00 NO LIMIT 5 1000.00 S 2000.00
1CLA USE37A BLIND PERSONS $ 87.50 NO LIMIT S 500. 00 $ 1000.00
[C LAUSE41C QUALIFIED SENIOR SO VER AG E 65 $ 502.00 $45.692.00 $ 500.00 $ 1000.00
# A MOUNT NE T
G RA NT GRANT ED RE IM BURSEMEN T EXP AN DED
52 318,200 $54,656 ($36.4566)
127 $101,600 S28,575 573,025
22 544,000 515,650 $28,350
44 $44,000 $3,850 $40,150
21 521 ,000 511,044 59 .956
$228 .800 5113 ,775 5115,025
THE STA TE REIM BURSEMENT FOR 17D IS A FLAT $54,656 NO MATTER HOW MANY RECIPIENTS WE HA VE - IT IS BASED ON THE TOTAL REIMBURSE ME NT GRANTED IN THE YEAR THAT CLAUSE 17
WAS UTILIZED BEFORE SWITCHING OV ER TO 41 C WHEN 170 CAME INT O EFFECT. ,
THE R EIM BURSEMENT FOR 41C IS BASED ON THE DOLLAR REIMBURSEMEN T RATE (P ER RECIPIEN T) THAT WAS G RANTED IN THE L AST YEAR TH AT THE CL AUSE 41 W AS UTILIZED BEF ORE
SWITCHING OV ER 41C (WHICH WAS 91 RECIPIENTS AT $502 PER ).