Use this interactive map to find your FY2023 real estate taxes: many Lancastrians will get a break this year

 

Lancaster is in the final steps of submitting it's FY2023 tax rate to the state for approval; we'll seen the finished work in the 3rd Quarter real estate tax bills that we receive at the end of the month.  We approved a levy at the Annual Town Meeting, the town announced new assessessed valued in November, and on Monday the Select Board approved a tax shift value of 1.0.

The tax rate for 2023 will (pending state approval) now be the same for all classes of property:  $17.19 per $1000.   That's a decrease from last year's $19.45 per $1000.

The property revaluation means that some some will see a decrease (or hefty increase) in their taxes for this year.  In the interactive map at the bottom you can see how you'll be assessed this year.

This table snipped from the assessor's presentation shows how different tax shift values would have altered the tax rate this year.

A shift value of higher than 1.0, to shift tax burden to Commercial and Industrial property, might have been wise this year.  For this year all residential values were recalculated based on recent sales (a process that happens every five years) and the hot market led to some substantial value increases.   The value of commercial and industrial property changed much less on the average -- the result was a big tax break for a lot of businesses in town.   I'm not certain that was their goal, or that they were even aware.

Select Board member Alix Turner tried gamely to open discussion on whether a 1.0 tax shift was appropriate this year, but did not get much help from her board mates or the Town Administrator.  Realistically it's probably too late in the year to give this issue the attention it deserves.   Rates need to be submitted to the state for approval before the end of December.

In this interactive map you can browse the taxes we'll all pay this year.  Green marks increases, and properties shown in red will see a decrease compared to last year.