SAUGUS Read the New Advocate Online at: www.advocatenews.net OCODDV C TECATAT Vol. 25, No. 48 -FREE- www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday 781-233-4446 Friday, December 2, 2022 A SAUGUS CENTER CELEBRATION New Tax Rates Set On average, homeowners will pay $245.80 more; businesses $1,548 more, under plan approved by selectmen for Fy2023 By Mark E. Vogler T he owner of an average single-family home in Saugus valued at $565,057 will pay $6,363 in taxes next year – $245.80 more than this year. Meanwhile, the tax bill for an average commercial property, valued at $1,907,670, will be $44,525 – an increase of $1,548 over this year. Those scenarios will take eff ect as a result of the new tax rates for the 2023 fi scal year approved unanimously on Tuesday (Nov. 29) night by the Board of Selectmen, pending approval by the state Department of Revenue (DOR). A tax rate analysis presented by the Saugus Board of Assessors showed a 4 percent increase in the average homeowner’s tax bill, while commercial and industrial property owners can expect an average increase of 3.6 percent. Once again, selectmen folThe giant Christmas tree with red bows and Christmas lights set in the monument rotary in front of Saugus Town Hall will be the center of attention tonight at the town’s annual tree lighting ceremony – which will feature the arrival of Santa Claus. The community event gets underway at 5 p.m. Please see inside for story and more photos. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) ~ Home of the Week ~ SAUGUS - Desirable Brookdale Condo offers this spacious 1 bedroom unit, beautiful, updated kit with quartz counter, peninsula with seating, builtin desk, hardwood flooring, great open floor plan, extra storage, located just outside of Saugus Center. Offered at $275,000 335 Central Street, Saugus, MA 01906 (781) 233-7300 View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. View all our listings at: CarpenitoRealEstate.com DIESEL TRUCK STOP lowed their past practice of recent years by adopting a plan calculating the lowest possible residential factor – a plan that would tax commercial, industrial and personal (CIP) property at a maximum share of the tax levy for the 2023 fi scal year at 175 percent. Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree and selectmen credit that longstanding fi scal policy as a key reason why Saugus continues to have the lowest average tax bill among neighboring communities. “That’s why our average tax bill is lower, because the selectmen vote to shift the burden,” Crabtree said at Tuesday night’s meeting. Selectman Jeffrey Cicolini agreed with that assessment. “I think it says a lot, that given the fact that we just built a phenomenal High School/ Middle School complex and we continue to invest in the town and the tax bills only going up on average 4 percent – and on top of it, still being well below our neighboring communities,” Cicolini said. “I think we’re obviously doing something right,” he said. “Absolutely,” Deputy Assessor Iwona Wilt said in response to Cicolini. “There’s definite turnaround. There’s new commercial coming in,” she said. “We had pretty good new growth,” she said, noting that the town experienced $1.5 million in new growth for the 2023 fi scal year. New growth is the increase in the tax base due to new construction, parcel subdivisions, condominium conversions and property renovations, but not due to reevaluation. Here are some of the highlights of the tax classifi cation hearing: • No residents spoke during two public comment periods at the meeting, either for or against the tax reclassifi cation. • The average valuation of a single-family home in Saugus has increased by $55,749, from TAX RATES | SEE PAGE 2 MARCHETTI CORP. 35 4.25 4.38 4.99 Available in 1 & 5 gal. Containers 4.44 DEF At The Pump $4.75 Gal.
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