-
The town has already collected $4 million of a possible $13 million in extra money hidden from the budget process.
News & Commentary
-
When Taxes “Only” Go Up, but Property Values “Only” Go Down
After the Tiverton Budget Committee put forward its recommendation for a 0.5% increase in local taxes, which was significantly less than the Town Council and School Committee wanted, Town Council Member John Edwards the Fifth (son of state Representative John Edwards the Fourth) complained that it would “only” save about $40 per year on the median (or middle-valued) house. My initial reaction to such statements has always been to wonder what people like Edwards think families ought to give up. If you haven’t had a raise in the past year, $40 means something you can’t pay for, because you can’t go to the town government and say that your payment is “only” going to be $40 short. My second thought is that “only” this and “only” that adds up. The town government pushed property taxes through the roof in the last decade, and when they never, ever reduce taxes, the cost just keeps climbing. Let’s look at that median house. The docket for the financial town referendum (FTR) uses a house valued at $260,000 as an example. According to the tax rolls, 37 Tiverton taxpayers have houses valued between $259,000 to $261,000. This year, those residents are paying an average …
Read More » -
-
Resources
-
Resources
Documents
Links to documents relevant to town government that may or may not be available elsewhere.
Read More » -
