The Wilbraham Board of Assessors announced that the real estate and personal property values for FY 2014 have been finalized and certified by the by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. The BOA further announces that the tax rate has also been approved by DOR at $20.44 per $1,000 of assessment. The new rate is an increase of $.78 over that of the previous year.
The single rate of $20.44 applies to all classes of real property, commercial and industrial as well as residential. This in accordance with the vote of the Selectmen at the Classification Hearing held November 12, 2013. The FY 2014 tax rate is based on the appropriation of $40,832,069 plus other amounts to be raised (principally for State charges and the Overlay account) which total $372,088. The estimated available funds are $9,068,408 resulting in a levy of $32,526,323 to be raised from real and personal property valued at $1,578,098,000. This value includes an increase of $18,383,218 in new growth for FY13 resulting in $361,414 new tax dollars.
Taxpayers are reminded that the rate increase is a result of Town Meeting appropriation, the school department exclusion and lower market values as of January 1, 2013. Tax bills will be mailed out at the end of December 2013 and payments as well as applications for the abatements are due by February 3, 2014.