Dalton Town & Fire District Set Tax Rates for FY26

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board voted to maintain a single tax rate, as it has done historically, during its meeting on Monday night. 
 
This means all types of properties within the town, whether residential, commercial, or industrial, will be taxed at the same rate.
 
The town's tax rate for fiscal year 2026 is projected to be $16.87 per $1,000 property value, which is an increase of 40 cents from last year's rate of $16.47. 
 
The average tax bill for a single-family residence in Dalton would be about $6,010.54 for an average value of $356,286. 
 
Residential properties continue to represent most of the total value in town, at approximately 86 percent with commercial, industrial, and personal property only making up about 14 percent, Assessor's Clerk Lee Nunez said.  
 
The town's excess levy capacity for FY26 is approximately $369,708, which is down from FY25's figure of $777,158. 
 
The town's new growth evaluation is $3,157,478, which equates to a new growth levy amount of $52,000. 
 
"New growth revenue is property taxes derived from newly taxable properties like new construction, additions, subdivisions, and personal property," Nunez said. 
 
The total assessed value of taxable properties in town for FY26 is $1,002,804,256, an increase of $43,627,531, or 4.549 percent over last year. 
 
The Dalton Fire District's prudential committee also voted to maintain a single-payer tax rate, as it has done for many years, at its meeting on Tuesday. 
 
The Fire District and town are two separate governing and taxing bodies. The Fire and Water departments are the Fire District's responsibility. The Board of Water Commissioners and the Prudential Committee govern the district.
 
The district's tax rate is set according to its yearly budget. During the Fire District's annual meeting, voters approved budget articles amounting to approximately $3,569,222.
 
The district's tax rate for fiscal 2026 is projected to be $148, down $18 from last year's $166. 
 
The average tax bill for a single-family residence in Dalton would be about $1.48 per $1,000 property value, or 0.74 centers per $1,000 property value twice a year. 
 
The average tax bill for a single-family residence in Dalton would be about $527, or about $263 twice a year.  

Tags: property taxes,   tax classification,   

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Berkshire Health System Blood Program Helps Shield County From National Shortage

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The American Red Cross declared its second national blood supply crisis in its history on Monday, but community members can breathe easy thanks to Berkshire Health System's blood donor program. 
 
Berkshire Medical System has always had a stationary donor center for autologous donations, which is no longer common practice, and had some O-negative blood on hand that it purchased from the Red Cross prior to having its own blood donor program, said Christine Amuso, blood donor coordinator.
 
Today, Berkshire Health System's blood donor program collects about 2,300 to 2,400 units of blood annually, all of which stays within Berkshire County to help keep local blood supplies stocked. 
 
In some years, the program has reached record collections of about 3,000 units.
 
"That [record has] only happened a couple of times since I've been employed with the program. So, we really have done wonders with the program," Amuso said. 
 
Donating blood through Berkshire Health System's program is accessible, with a donor center at the main campus and a mobile blood unit that travels throughout Berkshire County, including select Saturdays.
 
While appointments for blood donations are strongly encouraged, staff also intentionally leave scheduling gaps to accommodate additional donors who walk in without an appointment. 
 
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