Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Tax Assessor presents five options, sparing commercial taxpayers gets nod.
Chris Celeste, Woonsocket tax assessor, presented five plans for collecting the annual extra $2.5 million the city needs to balance its books, with one Budget Commissioner weighing in for commercial taxpayers. The rest of the Commission took his lead. "I'm a bad guy on this," warned member Peder Schaefer, noting his opinion that the difference between the commercial and residential tax rates is too high, and the earlier plan to phase-out the homestead exemption through 2026 is too slow. According to the tax assessor's page on the city website, the residential rate is $32.26 per $1,000 valuation. The commercial rate is $38.27 per $1,000 valuation. But the homestead exemption gives taxpayers in single-family homes and condos a 39 percent …
Monday, February 18, 2013
City Council President's proposal increases exemption to $12,000.
As the Budget Commission considered their plan to plug the $14.5 million deficit, including a second stab at a supplemental tax, Council President John Ward said he'd introduce tax exemptions for elder citizens. Ward's following through on that promise later tonight at the City Council meeting, 7 p.m. in Harris Hall at City Hall, 169 Main St. with an ordinance that would hike the elderly tax exemption from $2,000 to $12,000. The current ordinance is outdated, and needs to be edited to provide the tax relief originally intended. To qualify, you've got to be 65 years old or older, have lived in the city for at least five years, and not make more than $30,000 (see the attached pdf). Ward said the ordinance would help make up some of the …
Friday, June 29, 2012
Commission to seek $7 million in cost savings, commercial tax rate set to 27 percent.
The Woonsocket Budget Commission approved a $122 million budget Thursday afternoon that still carries a $7 million deficit. The Commission also approved a phase-out of the city's homestead exemptions. The Homestead exemption expires for single family homes in 2026 and two-family and three-family homes in 2017. Real estate taxes will increase by 3.91 percent, below the state cap. "This is $4.8 million more than we're going to appropriate," noted Commission member Peder Schaefer. After the meeting, Commission member Mayor Leo Fontaine said the budget still has a total deficit of $7 million, including a $2 million deficit reduction payment for previous school department shortfalls and a current $4.9 million deficit. The budget includes $66,…
42.00287
-71.51371
Woonsocket City Hall
169 Main St, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/budget-commission-oks-122-million-budget-homestead-exemption-phase-out
505492
/locations/7349289
Friday, June 22, 2012
The state-appointed Budget Commission approved Woonsocket's $122-million budget proposal, but continues to look for cuts and more revenue. Public safety vacancies are left unfilled.
Woonsocket has not escaped the possibility of a property tax hike, and homeowners could see the biggest increase, if the Budget Commission follows through on ideas discussed Thursday afternoon. One item on the table: a phase-out of the city's homestead exemption, a program that reduces tax bills for homeowners. "It won't disappear in one fell swoop," City Assessor Christopher Celeste said after the meeting. "Right now it's 42 percent, and that would kill people." The five-member budget commission, appointed by the state earlier this month to take over city finances, must find ways to raise revenue and reduce spending in an effort to balance the city's books and avoid bankruptcy. They were appointed to take the reins after state reps. Jon…
42.00287
-71.51371
Woonsocket City Hall
169 Main St, Woonsocket, RI
/articles/budget-commission-may-reduced-homestead-exemption
505492
/locations/7316196
Rob
10:40 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
well those increases make up for a former mayor and her pet (our current mayor) then CCP never raised taxes in 12 yrs and added more affordable housing than was necessary to begin with so what did you expect to happen the city to magically fix itself without help. more ›