Talk about shock and awe. That’s what happened when Easthampton residents opened there property tax bills.
There was a massive unexpected tax increase and no explanation. Mine went up 47%. Yes, we all expected a tax increase of about $200, but instead many saw their bills double that or more.
A simple explanation should have been enclosed with the tax bill. The note would have informed the taxpayers that the tax rate was not set until after the first two quarters were already collected and the increase, along with a re-evaluation of property values, would be added to only the last two quarters.
The city also failed to tell taxpayers that the tax bills due Aug. 1 and Nov. 1, 2020 would be less because the increase would now be spread over four quarters instead of two. This certainly would have helped ease some of the anxiety.
I know I lost a night’s sleep until I figured out what was going on. I really wish the city government was more transparent on local issues and spent less time on state and federal issues like Medicare for All, late-term abortion and sanctuary city.
Many seniors are at wit’s end as to how they are going to pay their property tax. Rather than working on this, the City Council discusses spending $80,000 dollars on two new pickle ball courts. Not that I am opposed to pickle ball courts. It is a lot of fun, but it seems priorities are out of place.
The mayor announced the new school came in millions under budget and immediately spent the money on a new school maintenance building and a roundabout at the school’s entrance. I don’t recall these items on the ballot. I thought the mayor said the roundabout wasn’t part of the new school cost and she would get the money elsewhere. The roundabout wasn’t in any of the school drawings I saw.
The question now is what can be done. How about eliminating the Community Preservation Act tax on anyone over 60, disabled or low income property owners.
In the past, the excuse was the state controlled that and there was nothing that could be done. Well, in the new one-party rule, the Democrats can change that in a heart beat. There is no political opposition. If that doesn’t happen then I guess the Democrats hate seniors, disabled and low income property owners.
How about freezing property tax when a person reaches 70 and using taxes from marijuana lodging, vaping and internet sales cover the shortfall. Connecticut freezes taxes at age 70 with no income limit.
Donald Torrey
Easthampton