Franklin to vote on tax rate
Medway, Franklin recreation cooperation going well
Franklin musicians help charities
Franklin, MA
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To determine the economic impact of adopting a split-roll property tax, one must explicitly take account of how the split roll would affect the behavior of individuals and businesses who own commercial property. A wealth of economics research has demonstrated that, when confronted with an increase in state taxes, businesses seek to avoid their exposure to the higher tax. Taken together, these studies indicate that a 1 percent increase in state taxes will lead to a 0.25-0.31 percent reduction in the level of economic activity. If the reduction leads to corresponding decrease in employment opportunities for Californians, a 1 percent increase in taxes would result in the loss of about 43,000 jobs.
The economic impact of an increase in the taxation of business property depends on the extent to which affected businesses can pass-on the tax to their customers (through higher prices), renters (through higher rents), their employees (through lower wages), or their suppliers. If a firm cannot pass-on the tax to others, it may change its mode of operations to use less taxable property (capital goods, for example) or relocate its operations to other states. Either way, much (but not all) of the burden of higher taxes will be borne by others. Generally speaking, owners of capital are more likely than landowners to avoid the increased tax burden by shifting their investments elsewhere. Capital is highly mobile; land is very immobile, and cannot be relocated to locations with a more benign tax system.The full report can be found here (PDF)
The property tax is actually two types of taxes - one upon building values, and the other upon land values. This distinction is an important one, as these two types of taxes have significantly different impacts on incentive motives and development results.
Pennsylvania's pioneering approach to property tax reform recognizes this important distinction between land and building values through what is now known as the split-rate or two-tier property tax. The tax is decreased on buildings, thereby giving property owners the incentive to build and to maintain and improve their properties, and the levy on land values is increased, thus discouraging land speculation and encouraging infill development. This shifting of the tax burden promotes a more efficient use of urban infrastructure (such as roads and sewers), decreases the pressure towards urban sprawl, and assures a broader spread of the benefits of development to the community as a whole.
Among 37 area communities between Newton and Shrewsbury, 13 tax commercial properties at a different, higher rate than homes. Having a split tax rate provides flexibility in raising revenue amid fluctuating real estate values, officials say, and eases the tax burden on residents. But for small businesses struggling in a sour economy, it can feel like a double whammy.
"It's a really delicate balance between taxation of residents and businesses," said Peter Bulian, a selectman in Needham, where the commercial tax rate rose 3.4 percent, from $18.92 to $19.56 per $1,000 in assessed value, for this fiscal year, while the residential rate went up 2.6 percent, from $9.70 to $9.96.
"Last year, we had a business district with 40 percent vacancies," he said, referring to the New England Business Center on Highland Avenue. "They were hurting, and landlords pass along tax increases to their tenants."
"This (meeting) is to keep the information flowing," Bellingham Town Administrator Denis Fraine said. "The proposed regulations are going to be costly, and the more we understand what our limitations are, the better it will be in the long run from a financial perspective."
Milford Selectman Brian Murray said the presentation is important for town officials and business owners, but efforts to fight the regulations need to continue.
"This is almost like the tail wagging the dog," Murray said. "It means we buy into these regulations, and I refuse to buy into the science of it and the unfairness of targeting three towns."
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Donations are taken year-around and especially appreciated during the holiday season. Berry Insurance has donated to the Franklin Food Pantry for ten years and this year will be no exception! For each new Facebook Fan acquired on the Berry Insurance page over the months of November and December, the agency will donate $2 to the Franklin Food Pantry!
Don’t allow anyone visiting the Franklin Food Pantry to go hungry this holiday season! You can donate time, money or food to help this worthy cause. So please, help us today in ending hunger and help support the Franklin Food Pantry!If you have a Facebook account and have not yet become a Fan of Berry Insurance, please do so and help the Food Pantry!
We are all reading about cyberbullying in the news. Now Franklin’s own home-grown expert Teenangels and their founder, cybersafety expert and head of StopCyberbullying.org, will help the Franklin community understand how it works, how big a problem it is and what we can do about it. The Teenangels are teens who train under Dr. Aftab for 2 years to become cybersafety experts in their own right. They are sought after by the media, governmental agencies and Congress for what they know and their practical approach to addressing cyber-risks.
Parry Aftab is Executive Director of WiredSafety.org, the largest online safety and educational program and the cybersafety contributor to the Today Show, Good Morning America, Dr. Phil, CNN and MSNBC. She is best known for empowering families to use digital technologies more safely and responsibly. She is a member of Facebook’s five member international safety advisory board and MTV’s advisory board.
This event is sponsored by: Franklin WiredTeens Club, Franklin Community Health Council, and the Franklin Anti-Bullying Task Force.
Massachusetts was one of 11 states plus the District of Columbia to win the competitive funding, designed to promote statewide education reform. States vying for a share of the $4.3 billion fund had to pledge to pursue reforms in four areas: adopting standards and assessments aimed at increasing student success in college and the workplace; recruiting and rewarding effective teachers; building state data systems to measure student growth; and turning around the state's lowest performing schools.
Districts had to secure the support of the superintendent, the school committee, and the local teachers union to participate and be eligible for the federal funding. In Milford, as with many districts that opted out of the effort, union opposition was the stumbling block.You can read the full article in the Milford Daily News
Stormwater management is a growing challenge for local governments. As a resource that is increasingly regulated, municipalities must develop approaches that protect and enhance how stormwater is handled.
Please join us for a presentation and discussion of potential funding options to support stormwater management in your community and the surrounding region.
The towns of Bellingham, Franklin and Milford have been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as pilot communities for draft enhanced stormwater regulations. To assist the towns with potential challenges associated with these regulations, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is developing background materials on Stormwater Utilities, which operate similarly to other public services like water supply and wastewater. MAPC is preparing information on state laws supporting use of a Stormwater Utility, the structure and administration of a utility, and case studies of other communities in Massachusetts and the US where stormwater utilities are in existence or are under consideration.
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council will give a presentation on the effects of the Environmental Protection Agency’s newly enacted stormwater management regulations at the Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday, Dec. 6.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. and will be held in Arcand Meeting Room at the Municipal Center, 10 Mechanic St.