Town Manager Paul Bockelman is proposing a 4.1% hike in water rates which will have to be approved by the Select Board, our illustrious water commissioners.
In his proposal/memo to the SB he points out that Amherst -- even with this price hike -- will have lower than state average costs for water/sewer. He also compares us directly with our neighbors Hadley, Northampton and Belchertown.
Fair enough I suppose, but in order to get a true comparison with those nearby communities why not compare our overall property taxes to them as well?
For instance Hadley is $11.15/$1,000 or half of Amherst's $21.22/$1,000 while Belchertown is $17.97/$1,000 and Northampton $16.16/$1,000.
Thus the average single family home in Amherst pays $7,078 in taxes this year, a Hadley homeowner only $3,477, in Northampton $4,865 and Belchertown $4,512.
Statewide, Amherst is in the top 3% for property taxes. Yikes!
And let's not forget Amherst has never not increased property taxes the full 2.5% allowed by law so when Mr. Bockelman debuts his budget today to the Select Board/Finance Committee just that simple amount will cost the average homeowner another $175 next year.
So I'm really not impressed with the average water bill going up "only" $18 per year. Why not take that out of the extra $2,500 or so we already pay per year (compared to our neighbors)?
Larry, don't you think it's time to tax the churches? Write a story about that!
ReplyDeleteThis means you don't really want a separation of church and stae. Good! You accept then, our menorrah on the common. Their manger too!
DeleteIt's challenging to understand justification for this increase while at the same time considering giving the new Beacon development tax breaks for 10 years. As a taxpayer, I'm having trouble accepting my tax increases while wealthy development companies get breaks.
ReplyDeleteWow, talk about a town gouging it's citizens.
ReplyDeleteLet's boil the ocean while we're at it (taxing religion).
ReplyDeleteOur taxes are ridiculous! I still don't understand WHY they are so high. What are we provided beyond what our neighboring towns receive that doubles our property taxes? What are we spending on, because it's not schools (sorry, just having fun), that drives our rates up? I understand the schools take up a lot of space, but beyond police/ambulance, I'm not sure they drain the tax pool.
My friends moved to Belchertown and Noho and have continued to rejoice in the extra money in their pockets (which in turn is spent, some of which locally) while still enjoying the same public services.
I'm so confused.
Amherst Dreamer's- dream big-cling on-fly by night-S.O.S-Same Ole Story - maybe they move to California??!!
DeleteDear Confused:
ReplyDeleteThe Manager says that we need to increase the cost of water and sewer due to the water ban. With less water usage there is not enough money to cover the expenses of the water and sewer departments. So the more water we conserve, the higher the cost to users. Now figure that one out!
I definitely have a love-hate relationship with your blogging. The last 2 articles are firmly in the love category. Thanks Larry!
ReplyDeleteThe "statewide average" is disingenuous because Amherst isn't saddled with the bill to clean up Boston Harbor -- Amherst isn't subject to MWRA water/sewer surcharges. Amherst owns/runs its OWN sewerage treatment plant.
ReplyDeleteHence any "statewide average" would have to be of towns not part of the MWRA and as MWRA-town bills average in the $1000/$2000 range, Amherst will again be above-average amongst those not paying to clean up Boston Harbor.
Larry, any competent Town Manager ought to realize this -- call him on it!
PS: When water consumption goes back up post-ban, will rates drop?
Friends in area towns get a lot more services for their lower tax rates.
ReplyDeleteAmherst Select Board is asking us to add the cost of an overpriced elementary school to our budgets while increasing every other tax/fee too.
Then- once all the increases are in place- New increased house valuations will magically appear in our mailboxes, raising our taxes even higher.
Just say "No" and say it loud and clear!
"Just say "No" and say it loud and clear!"
ReplyDeleteThis is not something you are voting on. It's just a fact.
I can't remember, but I think there's something that rolls downhill... what was it again? I think it came from Town Meeting that controls the purse strings...
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how much water is left in the wells?
ReplyDeleteI feel very uncomfortable not paying the top price for everything! We should be number 1 in all categories! How could our local government let us slip so far behind in water rates?
ReplyDeleteMake Amherst good again!
DeleteSelect Board needs to learn how to say No!
ReplyDeleteAnd lets vote on an override approving a $65 million mega elementary school to make sure our taxes remain in the top 3% for our state!
ReplyDeleteAs the US economy tightens and government funding and grants to universities and colleges possibly diminish due to state and federal cost-cutting, I wonder how many Amherst taxpayers are aware they may will feel the effects?
ReplyDeleteWill these same advocates of uncontrollable spending and high taxation in Amherst be able to sustain their current lifestyles? Maybe they have not even bothered to anticipate what possible changes may be coming.
In times like this, we should be decreasing spending and lowering taxes, not increasing them.
One difference between Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, and Northampton is that they don't have 2 colleges and a university occupying lots of real estate but not paying taxes. That's a reason our taxes are higher. I don't love the taxes, but do like living with the university and colleges....
ReplyDelete8:28, well over half of Pelham is under Quabbin, you don't see them complaining...
ReplyDeleteSo it specifically is costing the town more to provide the water. The increase is nominal and people are talking like there is some kind of system to get the critical water and the specific users will not be the ones to pay for it?
ReplyDeletePeople blame the churches who help the community and cost less than 7 students in taxes, they blame the colleges, which bring in more money than they could ever cost in lost taxes or otherwise and the colleges make the town what it is.
It is water and it is a public service and it costs more, isn't this pretty simple?
Water is more needed than a fire department, police, new schools, roads, parks, banners, town managers, parking meters, good parents, pizza or college. If we are going to debate things, we are better debating this stuff because it is more optional and they all cost so much money compared to water - one of the only 3 resources you actually need (food, shelter).
After the Select Board is done saying yes to an increased tax rate, the new school. the roundabout, the library, cable TV contract, the fire station, the parking garage, the DPW building...
ReplyDeleteWho has $18 left for water?
if the school funding passed- what would our tax rate rise to? If you add in the cost of trash collection (~$800/year) that we pay outside our taxes (which many other municipalities cover) what would our rates be? Would we then have the highest property tax burden in the state? Are we aiming to be #1?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 11:00- My guess is that our tax rate will be the same but to pay for the school an additional dollar amount (separate line) will be added to our bill each year.
ReplyDeleteOh come on people.. Don't you understand that we have to pay for a water department that needs at least two or three new pickup trucks so the department employees can ride around all day and burn up gas.. Your being so unfair, they need more money because we didn't use the water this summer so the revenue is down and the poor empolyees won't be able to drive to Cumby's two or three times a day and to their favorite lunch spot in town and spend 2 hours having lunch. Oh didn't they opt to take a no lunch break to get out earlier? I just can't understand why you don't want to pay more taxes for a useless DPW??
ReplyDeleteGive them a break and shell out some more tax money so we can watch the circus...
No accountability ..just keep raising taxes..Brillant!!