Fiscal Year 2015 Tax Shift Vote
On December 18, 2014 a vote was taken to determine how the city’s tax bill, or levy, would be apportioned.
Our city has had a split rate for 33 years, with homeowners paying at a rate which is lower than owners of commercial and industrial properties.
In spite of our split rate, commercial-industrial development has continued unabated for the entire 33 year period.
I campaigned on a promise to propose as a councilor a homeowner-friendly tax shift factor, especially after a four-year increase of 19.4 percent for the average homeowner and 12.6 percent for the average commercial-industrial owner between fiscal years 2010 and 2014.
On December 18, I moved for a tax shift factor of 1.71 which was seconded by councilor Ralph Figy. It would have resulted in a miniscule tax increase for the homeowner. The tax rate would have increased from $18.18 to $18.19, an increase of 17 cents per month for the average homeowner.
Unfortunately, my motion was amended and thereby defeated, before a council vote in favor of a 1.63 tax shift factor occurred, causing the average homeowner to see a monthly increase of $6.50 rather than 17 cents. I have used $220,000 as an average homeowner assessment.
I intend to propose a similar homeowner-friendly tax shift factor at next fall’s meeting.
Hopefully, no procedural maneuvering will occur and the entire council will be given an opportunity to vote on my motion. I’d like to thank Councilor Figy for his second of my motion on behalf of residential homeowners (and tenants onto whom tax increases are shifted).
Downtown Development
A request for proposals by the city was published in January 2014 with regard to the Newberry site on Elm Street. No responses were received.
There are a number of factors contributing to the lack of any response.
First and foremost is the undeniable fact that due to zoning changes in the 1950s and 1960s our downtown has been in competition with East Main Street and Springfield Road for decades. We should all take pride in the East Main Street area.
In downtown I would like to see development of market rate housing with a focus on the Lambson Furniture site.
WVTHS
Kudos to Stefan Czaporowski and his staff and volunteers at WVTHS. No drop-outs for the 2013-2014 school year matching Smith Academy (Hatfield) and Longmeadow.
The aviation technology program envisioned for WVTHS students at the airport is another giant step forward for the administration and the students, hopefully leading to good paying jobs at General Dynamics (Gulfstream).
Cindy C. Harris, Councilor-at-Large
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not the staff, editor, or publisher of this publication.
