The Assessors' office is committed to maintaining an assessment system that can develop fair and equitable values for all classes of property. The Assessors are required by Massachusetts law to list and value all real and personal property within the town, thus insuring that owners of such property all pay their fair and equitable share of the tax burden based upon the values.
Every three years, the assessors must re-value all real and personal property and submit these values to the Department of Revenue for certification. Assessors must maintain all arms-length sales records for Interim Adjustments completed yearly to maintain current market values and approved by the Department Revenue. From those sales reviews, new rates are then established for land and all types of buildings. The new rates are applied to properties across the community.
Assessors have the responsibility for motor vehicle excise tax bills, originated by the State Registry of Motor Vehicles, and boat excise tax, generated by the Environmental Law Enforcement. Assessors grant abatements and answer any question regarding excise tax bills.
Additionally, the Assessors have the authority to grant real estate abatements for overvaluation, adverse topography, and wet areas as well as personal exemptions to qualifying taxpayers.
Assessor do not determine how much your taxes will be. It is the amount of dollars spent that determines the taxes. The tax rate is determined by dividing the toal amount voted at town meeting to operate the town annually by the total taxable value of the community as certified by the Department of Revenue.
The Assessors office provides a variety of information to the public. Assessors' maps, field card assessment values, process deeds, and personal property information are available for review. Certified abutters lists are prepared by the Assessors office for the office requiring the abutters list.
We are happy to have added, Vision Appraisal website.
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