To the Editor,
Well done voters of Chester. At the annual town election, the four ballot questions were defeated that proposed to change from elected positions to appointed the office of the Town Clerk, Tax Collector, Town Treasurer and Board of Assessors.
Now there is a new challenge. The Finance Committee will be recommending to not fund the position of Principal Assessor and the elected Assessors. This is because the Principal Assessor has declined several years to increase the assessed valuation of property from 100% to as much as 116% of fair market value. The Department of Revenue (DOR) recommends assessments be 100% fair market value based on prior year’s sales, and would not approve such a disparity in assessment sales ratios. See ‘Guidelines for Development of a Minimum Reassessment Program’ on the Mass.Gov web site.
Pamela Anderson has been Chester’s Principal Assessor for 17 years, and does an outstanding job of guiding the Board and interacting with the DOR and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC).
Please come to the Town Meeting on June 10 at 7:00 p.m. and vote to restore funding to the elected Assessors and the Principal Assessor position.
Arthur Lindberg
Chester, MA
