GREENFIELD — The average single-family tax bill went up $65 this year, according to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.
The Mayor’s Office announced this week that the city set its tax rate, which dropped 7 cents to $22.36 from $22.29 per thousand dollars of assessed value, less than half a percent change from last year. This means the average single-family tax bill will rise from $4,107 to $4,172, a 1.6 percent increase — a 6 percent increase over the past five years.
“This is a good indication of the stability of the finances in Greenfield and how the numbers change,” Mayor William Martin said.
The city’s value of property increased by about $51 million — up from $1.425 billion to $1.477 billion, which is a 3.6 percent increase.
The biggest growth in the past year came from commercial property, which grew about 10 percent from $247 million to $272 million according to city records. In the past five years, the value of property increased by nearly 12 percent, while personal property has grown in the same time by 53 percent — although, it only grew by 1 percent this past year.
It’s been a year of talk of growth and development throughout Greenfield, from completion of the long-awaited parking garage to the potential of a new library and fire station, all the while a mix of businesses moved in-and-out of Main Street.
The tax rate was set under the direction of new Finance Director Liz Gilman and Treasurer Kelly Varner and was cleared by the state rather quickly, Martin said.
You can reach Joshua Solomon at:
jsolomon@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 264