>>Valley Patriot>>
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North
Andover Selectmen's
Tax Bills Went Down in '07
Paul Porten
(06/05/07)
NORTH ANDOVER - While
property taxes in North Andover continue to rise each
year, and with an override on the horizon, and the
average taxpayer in the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts experiencing a property tax
bill increase of 4.7% from fiscal year 2006 to 2007, some
elected officials in North Andover actually saw their tax
bills decline even though their assessed property values
went up.
According to town records in North Andover, the average
taxpayer saw his bill increase by 2% from the fiscal year
2006 to 2007, with the average singe-family tax bill
going from $5,500 to $5,610.
But, while tax bills continue to rise for most North
Andover residents, four of the five selectmen as well as
the town manager, saw their property tax bills go down.
Selectmen Mark Caggiano, Rosemary Smedile, Tom
Licciardello and Jim Xenakis all saw their tax bills
decrease from 2006 to 2007.
Only Selectman Dan Lanens property tax bill went
up. Lanens bill went from $4,611.27 to $4,668.16.
On the other hand, Selectman Caggianos property tax
bill went down by $69.77 (from $1,996.35 in 2006 to
$1,926.58 in 2007), even though the assessed value of his
home rose by $5,000 (from $176,900 in 2006 to $181,900 in
2007).
Selectman Rosemary Smediles property taxes went
down, too (from $4,589.48 to $4,497.02), while the
assessed value on her home rose by $17,800 (see chart to
the right).
Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Tom
Licciardellos property tax bill went from $4,443.76
to $4,414.13, while his property values rose by $22,800.
Jim Xenakis tax bill went down by $22 (from
$5,055.32 to $5,033.07), but his property values rose by
$27,000.
Town Manager Mark Rees tax bill went down. His tax
bill dipped by $102 (from $4,505.71 in 2006 to $4,403.37
in 2007), but his assessed values rose by $16,400.
Last March The Valley Patriot published a column by
Georgetown Selectman Lonnie Brennan, who reported that
some officials in Georgetown were apparently receiving
tax breaks. Coincidentally, the majority of the Board of
Assessors in Georgetown had their tax bills decrease
while the rest of the towns taxes went up.
The contrast is striking and the coincidence is
amazing, says Brennan of the tax bills of certain
officials in Georgetown. While a large number of
town officials got hit with increases, one member of the
Board of Assessors saw a 4.85% decrease
, he
added.
When shown the information of the North Andover
selectmans tax bills, Brennan says that he was not
surprised. Am I the only selectman whose
bills keep going up? he asked. I wonder how
coincidental all of this is? continued
Brennan, comparing North Andovers tax bills and
Georgetowns.
I try not to get cynical when I hear of these
things, but it sure doesnt pass the sniff
test, Selectman Brennan said of neighboring
Georgetown. In Georgetown, we had a similar
occurrence this past year: our chairman of the Board of
Assessors, as well as his daughter, our town moderator,
did quite well with the assessments on their properties.
Meanwhile, others got hammered. It makes one wonder if
dissenters such as Dan Lanen in North Andover and I might
be targets because we oppose property tax overrides. Is
there a not-so-subtle message being sent to us? Play
along, get your back scratched, get your property taxes
reduced?
When Selectman Lanen learned that he was the only board
member to pay more in taxes from fiscal year 2006 to
2007, he said was quite surprised but not shocked.
Well, I can see why the other members continue to
support overrides, thats for sure. Their bills keep
going down, Lanen quipped. All I hear about
is how residents bills keep going up with seniors
having trouble paying their bills. I will need to look
into this further, Lanen continued.
Lanen, one of the two selectmen who regularly opposes
Proposition 2 1/2 overrides, said, Maybe I would be
supporting an override every year, too, if my tax bills
werent always going up.
To date, the ongoing investigation by The Valley Patriot
into the tax assessment and property tax bills of
Georgetown and North Andover have found no evidence of
wrongdoing or illegality. The investigation is ongoing.
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The June 2007 Edition of
the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 13,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
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Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, Merrimack, Hampton &
Salisbury Beach, and Lowell.
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