Vol. 28, No. 46 -FREE- www.advocatenews.net City marks centennial of American Legion at Veterans Day ceremony By Tara Vocino he city went full circle, kicking off the Veterans Day annual parade across from the former American Legion building at the corner of Elm and Pleasant Streets early Monday morning, ending at the newly opened American Legion building on MeOur 80th Year EDUCATION Next Classes DRIVER 2 Week Night Class Nov. 18 1 Week Day Class Dec. 23 (school vacation week) CALL - ENROLL or Register Online 617-387-9121 HENRYSAUTOSCHOOL.COM AUTO SCHOOL E EVERETT A “Successful Key To Driving” Since 1938 Gift Certificates Available T he city supports homeowners with a residential exemption on their property taxes, but not everyone who is entitled to the tax break receives it, and some property owners who are not eligible pay the lower residential rate. City Assessor James O’Brien and Manager of Geographical Information System Operations Steve Farma were at this week’s City Council meeting with an update on their review of the residential tax exemption program which was requested by Councillor-at-Large Debbie DeMaria. In 2008, Malden adopted the T ridian Street. Heading west on Elm Street, veterans, city offi cials and community organizers turned left onto Highland Avenue then right onto Malden Street before stopping at the World War I monument at Devir Park for a memorial service. Later in the afternoon, many participants gathered at the American Legion Post 69 for a centennial celebration. They paused to remember their deVETERANS DAY | SEE PAGE 12 Published Every Friday 617-387-2200 Friday, November 15, 2019 Grand Marshals Wakefield Boy Scout Troop 722 member Ethan Borvis, Malden Disabled American Veterans Chapter 85 Commander Joseph Borbas, Malden Disabled American Veterans Chapter 85 member Thomas Chapman, Malden Disabled American Veterans Chapter 85 Senior Vice Commander William Lloyd and Malden Disabled American Veterans member James Marcolongo, with Malden Veterans’ Services Officer Kevin Jarvis, in center, formed on Elm Street across from the former American Legion early on Monday morning. They came full circle by meeting at the new American Legion building on Meridian Street later in the afternoon. (Advocate Photos by Tara Vocino) City Councillors raise questions about residential tax exemptions By Barbara Taormina residential exemption, which is meant to reduce property taxes on owner-occupied homes by shifting some of the tax burden to high-value homes and non-owner-occupied residential properties. For the past seven years, the City Council has approved a 30 percent residential exemption, the maximum allowed by the state. The exemption is the dollar amount of 30 percent of the average value of all the city’s residential properties from large luxury apartment buildings to small, humble condos. In real numbers, back in 2018, the average value of all residential property in Malden was $489,209. Owner-occupied properties had 30 percent of that average, or $146,763, subtracted from the assessed value of their homes, which reduced those property tax bills by $2067.88. “It’s a wonderful program for homeowners in Malden, and I think we should continue with it,” said DeMaria. Still DeMaria and others have raised concerns about residential exemptions being given to property owners who no longer live in their homes, or even in Malden. O’Brien said it’s difficult to trace those cases because people move, situations evolve and it’s hard to fi nd reliable sources to confi rm whether owners are living in their properties or renting them out. According to O’Brien, excise taxes aren’t a solid source because not everyone drives and a lot of people lease vehicles which are registered in auto company names. Voter rolls are a key source but also not entirely dependable because, as the city saw last week, only 27 percent of residents who are registered actually vote. Not everyone cares or registers or votes. If residents move and hang onto their properties, unless they notify the city the residential exemption continues. It’s only with the sale of a property and the fi ling of a deed that an TAX | SEE PAGE 15
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