SAUGUS Vol. 24, No. 49 -FREETh e Advocate – A household word in Saugus! DOCATE D E C www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday New tax rates up T he owner of an average single-family home in Saugus valued at $509,307 will pay $6,117 in taxes next year – $345 more than this year. Meanwhile, the tax bill for an average commercial property, valued at $1,728,066, will be $42,992 – a decrease of $736 over this year. Those scenarios will take efA Star Wars Tree 781-233-4446 Friday, December 10, 2021 Holding The Holiday Spirit On average, homeowners will pay $345 more, businesses $736 less, under plan approved by selectmen for FY2022 By Mark E. Vogler fect as a result of the new tax rates for the 2022 fiscal year (FY) approved unanimously on Tuesday (Dec. 7) 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 5.6 percent increase in the average homeowner’s tax bill, while commercial and industrial property owners can expect an average reduction of 1.7 percent. Once again, selectmen followed 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 2022 FY at 175 percent. But Deputy Assessor Ron Keohan noted that the benefi t of the maximum allowable tax shift may not be as apparent to residential homeowners once they get their tax bills next year. “The commercial [properties] gets a little bit of a break,” he told selectmen. Keohan said residential propSanta Claus just adores this Saugus Lions Club entry at the MEG Foundation’s 11th Annual Christmas Tree Festival. The event continues for a second weekend at the MEG Building, from 3 to 8 p.m. tonight (Friday, Dec. 10) and tomorrow. For story and more beautiful trees, please see inside. (Saugus Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) erty values “continue to go crazy.” “I don’t even want to talk about it … It’s so insane,” he said. “Your average single famiMAKING MERRY WITH MUSHROOM: Christine Moreschi, chief administrative aide for the town manager, and Jeannie Meredith, an administrative assistant at Town Hall, hang out with Mushroom – the Juliana pot belly pig cross at the petting zoo at last Friday (Dec. 3) night’s Christmas Tree Lighting and Festivities. See inside for more photos and story about the return of the town’s biggest and most popular community event of the year. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) ly home here in Saugus is like $467,000 right now,” he said. To that state of the local property values report, Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano interjected “good luck fi nding one for that money.” But Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree sought to put Saugus in a favorable light when comparing the town’s property tax situation to surrounding communities. “The most important thing for the residents at home to understand – Saugus is a great bargain for the taxes we’re paying for the full-service community we are,” Crabtree said. “We’re a community that doesn’t have a trash fee. We have a full time Fire Department 24 hours a day. There’s a lot of things that are full service here,” he said. Crabtree stressed “you can’t understate” that Saugus’s current average homeowner’s tax bill of $5,772 “is considerably lower” than in any of the surrounding communities. “It’s really extraordinary that we have a low average tax bill,” he said. He noted that Stoneham, with an average residential tax bill of $6,114, is the next lowest among surrounding communities. Crabtree challenged anyone to tell him where they could move in the surrounding area to fi nd an average tax bill lower than what homeowners pay in NEW TAX | SEE PAGE 7 ANGELO’S FULL SERVICE Regular Unleaded $3.259 Mid Unleaded $3.299 Super $3.419 Diesel Fuel $3.399 "43 Years of Excellence!" 1978-2021 KERO $4.81 DEF $3.49 9 Diesel $3.099 9 HEATING OIL 24-Hour Burner Service Call for Current Price! (125—gallon minimum) DEF Available by Pump! Open an account and order online at: www.angelosoil.com (781) 231-3500 (781) 231-3003 367 LINCOLN AVE • SAUGUS • OPEN 7 DAYS Prices subject to change Fill Up & Save! Fall is Coming! FLEET
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