Cheshire Property Owner Claims Taxes Unfairly Assessed
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CHEHSIRE, Mass. — A Cheshire property owner has accused town assessors of not collecting property taxes fairly.
George Tremblay last week told the Selectmen he thought many businesses do not file their personal property "form of list" honestly or at all and accused the town of failing to go after them.
"It's not fair to other members of the community who pay their fair share because most people do, and this has been going on a long time," Tremblay said. "Most people have given up, and I am not giving up."
He said even though farmers still have to file a form of list, a Cheshire bylaw allows them to pay a decreased rate on their assets if they prove to the assessor that farming is their primary source of income. Tremblay suggested some businesses are unfairly using this classification.
He said he filed for an abatement that was denied and claimed that six other landscaping businesses are not taxed the same as him. He said he has recently contacted the attorney general and is considering taking action against the "old boy" attitude in Cheshire.
"The tax situation is not handled fairly," he said. "There is corruption in the town of Cheshire and now it is just a matter of me crossing the Ts and dotting the Is and now I have the path."
Tremblay asked for the Selectmen's support but Chairwoman Carol Francesconi said the board will not take any action at this time and will meet with the assessors to discuss the accusation.
"I want to hear the other side," Francesconi said. "There are two sides to every story."
Selectman Robert Ciskowski said the Kinder Morgan Gas Pipeline informational meeting, that will be held Thursday, April 23, will not only have a presentation by Kinder Morgan representatives, but will now allow questions. Initially, they only agreed to a 15-minute presentation with no questions.
"They are bringing a small team to present for Kinder Morgan," Ciskowski said. "I have a way of negotiating … sometimes I can clear a rainy day, but they seems like a very reasonable people and I think them coming is going to be a great addition to the meeting."
Ciskowski had been concerned the town would not have time to vote on a resolution because the nonbinding referendum question to gather public opinion on the pipeline missed the 35-day window needed to put the question on the town election ballot.
The town may have to go for a Proposition 2 1/2 override depending on if it adopts the Adams-Cheshire Regional School District budget; in order to get the question on that ballot, the board must make a decision by May 5 to meet state law requirements.
This still would leave no time to vote on an actual resolution.
Resident Eileen Quinn said some town residents may put together a petition to get the resolution on the warrant for annual town meeting.
"Many, many towns have been doing it and I have been looking into it, and a few of us are trying to put it together," Quinn said.
Town Administrator Mark Webber said 10 signatures of registered voters would be needed to get the article on the warrant and he would look into it. He said he felt there may be little difference between
"What would be the difference between the two if they were flavored in the same manner and phrased in the same manner?" he said. "You can do it in a nonbinding referendum with general law within 35 days or by citizen petition in 10 days."
Webber said a representative from Colonial Power will meet with the board on Tuesday to discuss municipal electrical aggregation.
Because of the recent increase in electricity rates, many towns and cities have joined municipal electrical aggregation plans that allow residents to purchase power from another provider at a cheaper rate.
Webber said the decision is a "moving target" because it is anticipated that National Grid rates will decrease below what Colonial Power offers through Hampshire Power. He said they are negotiating with Hampshire Power for a lower rate.
The decision will ultimately be made at town meeting and does not lock the town or any resident into Hampshire Power. Although all town members would be initially be part of whatever power source the town signs with, they can opt out at any time and shop around for their chosen electricity source.
"The town aggregation is like an umbrella. Every individual has the right to opt out, and it just gives us the right to join this," Webber said. "You would have the ability to opt out, but I would hate to have town's people in the position of having to watch this all of the time and having to make decision."
Webber said there will be an article at town meeting that will ask to transfer $17,000 to $20,000 from the town's capital stabilization account for the purchase of 70 laptops, two carts, and a printer for Cheshire Elementary School.
He said this will not affect the town's levy limit and because it will be a donation from the town will not affect the district agreement between Adams and Cheshire.
Tags: assessors, property taxes,
