Orange, Mass., is projecting a lower property tax rate for fiscal year 2027, though the town expects to collect $607,769 more in property taxes than in fiscal year 2026.
Here's what to know
Orange will keep one tax rate for every property class following the Selectboard's vote at its Nov. 4 meeting. The decision came after a tax classification hearing, according to the Greenfield Recorder.
A split rate system allows a town to set different rates for residential property and commercial or industrial property. Orange's single rate approach instead applies the same rate to every property classification.
Adam Hemingway, a representative of Regional Resource Group Inc., which provides the town's assessing services, explained that a split rate would not be practical for Orange.
"Towns like Orange just don't have a significant commercial [and] industrial tax base," he said, per the Recorder.
More background
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue's website lists Orange's fiscal year 2026 tax rate as $16.60 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Hemingway's estimate for fiscal year 2027 is $15.29 per $1,000, a decrease of $1.31. A property's assessed value also determines its tax bill.
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Orange's tax levy, or total property tax collections, is expected to rise 3.86% from fiscal year 2026's approximately $15.74 million, according to Hemingway. That would bring property tax revenue to nearly $16.35 million despite the lower projected rate.
What's being done?
While the Selectboard has chosen to maintain a single rate structure, the estimated $15.29 rate still requires a final review and approval from state revenue officials, according to the Recorder.
The Nov. 4 hearing, held in the Ruth B. Smith Auditorium at Orange Town Hall, also gave residents an opportunity to address the board before its decision.
Property taxes can burden local households, resident Ann Reed told the board during public comment, per the Recorder. She said she asks the board for the same consideration at every tax classification hearing. "Please go as easy as you can on the local taxpayer when you formulate your decision."
Where can I learn more?
Elsewhere in Massachusetts, towns and cities are balancing local revenue needs with the burden on property owners.
• In Adams, Mass., homeowners are set to pay about $130 more in property taxes.
• Cambridge homeowners face tax rate increases of up to 15% and potential service cuts.
• Cambridge proposes another 21% commercial tax hike, alongside a 4% increase for homes.
• Mount Washington could collect $500,000 more for state land that it cannot tax.
• Boston homeowners questioning their property tax bills can press city officials about assessments.
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