New England B.S. Thread

That's what happened with our town. We're small enough that budget decisions are all done by town meeting, but our first year in town the young guys in the Fire Department decided that rather than upgrade the lap belts in our perfectly functional 70's-vintage fire engine to 3-point belts (at a cost of roughly 10K) that the town should spend $500k on a new engine instead. So they packed the house with their buddies and voted it in, and the mil rate went up to pay for it. Same thing a few years later; rather than keep the town office and fire department in their existing buildings, they again packed the house to vote for a complete renovation of the old school in town into a new town office, and to convert the gymnasium into the new fire department. So again, taxes had to increase to pay for it.
And you know that they're not going to go back down once this stuff is paid off; I'm sure they'll find new ways to burn any excess.

 

Random question, do you work in a tire distribution center in Westbrook? I was pricing tires the other other day through tirebuyer cause we get a 10% discount through work and it said they would ship from a DC in Westbrook.

 

if we ever decide to move farther north i'll keep it in mind

 

Hot damn that's basically free!

 

when i lived in charlotte people were like "you live in the city limits??? property tax is crazy!" it was a dollar and change haha

 

Nope, the one I work for is in the Dirty Lew. Yours are probably coming from ATD (American Tire Distributors).

 

Ahh the South. If I was single I could move down to my grandmothers old place in Sunset Beach and live like a king. And probably get fat from all the delicious fried seafood and BBQ.

 

goals

 

Yeah taxes on the house were under 800 this year.

 

My old town was like that. Voted in a big fire station which I wasn't 100% opposed to because their old one was quite literally a tar-paper two car garage. I stood up at town meeting and said I thought we should cut from other places to try to keep the rate fairly neutral. I pointed out that we were paying 100k/year in health insurance for town employees, and two of our one day per week $3000/year selectmen were on the town insurance for some reason (along with other part time employees). I said I thought it was borderline unethical to collect insurance as a stipended or part time public employee.

There were gasps, I saw a few nods of agreement, then they voted for the insurance line anyway.

 

When they were debating the new fire engine, it was noted that the current engine had just passed its annual inspection with zero faults. The 3 point belts aren't even a requirement; just something they wanted for improved safety. I've got no problem with that, but I did stand up and point out that retrofitting 3 point belts would be considerably cheaper than a new engine. But like I said, they'd packed the house. Quite a few people voted against the purchase, but we were outnumbered.

 

Damn, my property tax rate is $20.65/1,000 as of 2018. It's gone up since then too We live in one of the highest taxed towns because we have no lakefront property in town, and a lot of people buy huge chunks of land and do nothing with them, so they don't have to pay tax. Once they go to use the land, they pay a $5,000 fee and it's caught up...

 

another way NH keeps taxes down, just add a fee, its not taxes. In my short time living in NH, I called it the fee state.

 

Yeah, but "Live Fee or Die" just doesn't have the same ring to it...

 

Meh, I'm good with it. Not having tax on my income makes me happy

 

Hey, every time you see those "Live Free or Die" license plates, just remember an inmate probably made it.

 

it does really suck regarding Massachusetts depending upon what town you live in and how much you pay for property taxes per $1000.

This is an updated 2020 list of the towns and cities in Massachusetts going from cheapest to most expensive.....of course I have to live in the fifth most expensive freaking town:

1. Hancock — $2.78
2. Chilmark — $2.86
3. Edgartown — $3.35
4. Nantucket — $3.45
5. Chatham — $4.82
6. Rowe — $5.33
7. Alford — $5.50
8. Cambridge — $5.75
9. West Tisbury — $6.07
10. Dennis — $6.10
11. Mount Washington — $6.27
12. Provincetown — $6.62
13. Aquinnah — $6.81
14. Tyringham — $6.99
15. Truro — $7.33
16. Monterey — $7.43
17. Oak Bluffs — $7.44
18. Erving — $7.54
19. Orleans — $7.56
20. Wellfleet — $7.75
21. Otis — $8.34
22. Westport — $8.43
23. Falmouth — $8.59
24. Brewster — $8.62
25. Eastham — $8.72
26. Harwich — $8.73
27. Tolland — $8.90
28. Mashpee — $8.96
29. Medford — $9.18
30. Woburn — $9.32
31. Tisbury — $9.33
32. Barnstable — $9.37
33. Brookline — $9.45
34. Egremont — $9.49
35. Burlington — $9.64
36. Braintree — $9.86
37. Stockbridge — $9.87
38. Dartmouth — $9.93
39. Yarmouth — $10.00
40. Somerville — $10.09
41. Rockport — $10.10
42. New Marlborough — $10.31
43. Marblehead — $10.39
44. Newton — $10.44
45. Boston — $10.56
46. Everett — $10.64
47. Bourne — $10.74
48. Peabody — $10.74
49. Stoneham — $10.79
50. Nahant — $10.97
51. Wareham — $10.98
52. Newbury — $10.99
53. Belmont — $11.00
54. Melrose — $11.05
55. Arlington — $11.06
56. Fairhaven — $11.06
57. Becket — $11.08
58. Norwood — $11.15
59. Revere — $11.26
60. Salisbury — $11.46
61. Hingham — $11.53
62. Wellesley — $11.56
63. Manchester By The Sea — $11.70
64. Marion — $11.70
65. Saugus — $11.92
66. Weymouth — $11.92
67. Waltham — $11.95
68. Lenox — $12.10
69. Watertown — $12.14
70. Canton — $12.23
71. Gloucester — $12.33
72. Richmond — $12.38
73. Winchester — $12.39
74. Lawrence — $12.43
75. Quincy — $12.43
76. Shrewsbury — $12.47
77. New Ashford — $12.48
78. Needham — $12.49
79. Winthrop — $12.62
80. Malden — $12.65
81. Wakefield — $12.77
82. Hadley — $12.78
83. Hull — $12.82
84. Beverly — $12.83
85. Weston — $12.83
86. Dover — $12.84
87. Newburyport — $12.84
88. Cohasset — $12.97
89. Billerica — $12.99
90. Freetown — $13.02
91. Danvers — $13.06
92. Dudley — $13.06
93. Lakeville — $13.06
94. Milton — $13.12
95. Rehoboth — $13.12
96. West Stockbridge — $13.12
97. Seekonk — $13.17
98. Bedford — $13.18
99. Hinsdale — $13.21
100. Sandisfield — $13.30
101. Marshfield — $13.33
102. Dracut — $13.35
103. Lowell — $13.36
104. Chelsea — $13.39
105. Lynn — $13.40
106. Cheshire — $13.44
107. Methuen — $13.44
108. Rochester — $13.48
109. Mattapoisett — $13.49
110. Scituate — $13.50
111. Hatfield — $13.53
112. Oakham — $13.55
113. Wilmington — $13.58
114. Haverhill — $13.60
115. Natick — $13.61
116. Middleton — $13.62
117. Montgomery — $13.62
118. Dedham — $13.72
119. North Andover — $13.74
120. Northbridge — $13.84
121. Lynnfield — $13.92
122. Acushnet — $13.94
123. Reading — $13.95
124. Shelburne — $13.98
125. Sheffield — $14.00
126. Ipswich — $14.02
127. Groveland — $14.05
128. Lexington — $14.05
129. Windsor — $14.08
130. Ayer — $14.10
131. Spencer — $14.12
132. Marlborough — $14.18
133. Swansea — $14.18
134. Bellingham — $14.22
135. Concord — $14.23
136. Wrentham — $14.25
137. Swampscott — $14.30
138. Sandwich — $14.31
139. North Attleborough — $14.35
140. Raynham — $14.41
141. West Newbury — $14.42
142. Fall River — $14.45
143. Salem — $14.45
144. Pembroke — $14.49
145. Franklin — $14.51
146. Westwood — $14.51
147. Berkley — $14.53
148. Attleboro — $14.56
149. Foxborough — $14.57
150. Duxbury — $14.66
151. Lee — $14.68
152. Cummington — $14.69
153. Plainville — $14.70
154. West Brookfield — $14.70
155. Bridgewater — $14.73
156. Norton — $14.80
157. East Brookfield — $14.82
158. Hubbardston — $14.82
159. Taunton — $14.86
160. Merrimac — $14.88
161. Stoughton — $14.89
162. Leicester — $14.91
163. Randolph — $14.91
164. Charlton — $14.94
165. Savoy — $14.96
166. Dighton — $14.98
167. Framingham — $14.98
168. Walpole — $14.99
169. Andover — $15.01
170. Webster — $15.06
171. Monroe — $15.08
172. Goshen — $15.11
173. Brockton — $15.15
174. Somerset — $15.22
175. Hanson — $15.27
176. Washington — $15.29
177. Millbury — $15.33
178. Lincoln — $15.36
179. Mansfield — $15.36
180. Easton — $15.38
181. Granville — $15.40
182. North Brookfield — $15.42
183. Sunderland — $15.44
184. Clinton — $15.49
185. Rowley — $15.58
186. North Reading — $15.60
187. Whately — $15.67
188. Deerfield — $15.69
189. Great Barrington — $15.75
190. Berlin — $15.79
191. Southampton — $15.82
192. Princeton — $15.85
193. Whitman — $15.85
194. Sutton — $15.86
195. Middleborough — $15.88
196. Georgetown — $15.92
197. Milford — $15.96
198. Tewksbury — $15.97
199. Hardwick — $15.98
200. Millville — $16.07
201. Shirley — $16.11
202. Ashland — $16.16
203. New Bedford — $16.16
204. Boxford — $16.17
205. Hawley — $16.22
206. Tyngsborough — $16.25
207. Kingston — $16.28
208. Winchendon — $16.28
209. Essex — $16.29
210. Hanover — $16.31
211. Westford — $16.33
212. Plymouth — $16.35
213. West Bridgewater — $16.37
214. Chelmsford — $16.45
215. Grafton — $16.50
216. Boylston — $16.54
217. Hudson — $16.61
218. Northfield — $16.61
219. Holland — $16.62
220. Norwell — $16.63
221. Ashfield — $16.66
222. Southborough — $16.66
223. Boxborough — $16.72
224. Uxbridge — $16.74
225. Mendon — $16.75
226. Northampton — $16.80
227. Sterling — $16.81
228. Agawam — $16.83
229. Templeton — $16.83
230. Dunstable — $16.84
231. Phillipston — $16.94
232. Douglas — $16.98
233. Hamilton — $16.98
234. Pepperell — $16.98
235. West Springfield — $16.99
236. Abington — $17.00
237. Holden — $17.00
238. Worcester — $17.00
239. Leyden — $17.01
240. Hopkington - $17.08
241. Warren — $17.16
242. Amesbury — $17.18
243. Athol — $17.18
244. Carver — $17.19
245. Worthington — $17.21
246. Upton — $17.22
247. Northborough — $17.25
248. East Bridgewater — $17.29
249. New Braintree — $17.32
250. Petersham — $17.37
251. Groton — $17.38
252. Hopedale — $17.41
253. Topsfield — $17.42
254. Halifax — $17.44
255. Chicopee — $17.46
256. Southwick — $17.49
257. Medway — $17.50
258. Rockland — $17.50
259. Westminster — $17.55
260. Montague — $17.57
261. South Hadley — $17.58
262. Williamstown — $17.60
263. Rutland — $17.61
264. Plympton — $17.62
265. Brimfield — $17.67
266. Avon — $17.70
267. Blandford — $17.76
268. Easthampton — $17.76
269. Wayland — $17.76
270. Littleton — $17.77
271. Medfield — $17.83
272. Barre — $17.87
273. Clarksburg — $17.89
274. Auburn — $17.98
275. Leominster — $17.98
276. Brookfield — $18.01
277. New Salem — $18.04
278. Lunenburg — $18.12
279. Belchertown — $18.17
280. Monson — $18.27
281. Westborough — $18.32
282. Middlefield — $18.34
283. Carlisle — $18.36
284. Holbrook — $18.37
285. Sudbury — $18.45
286. Harvard — $18.47
287. Buckland — $18.52
288. West Boylston — $18.58
289. Bernardston — $18.59
290. North Adams — $18.62
291. Norfolk — $18.64
292. Conway — $18.76
293. Peru — $18.76
294. Ashby — $18.83
295. Holliston — $18.85
296. Blackstone — $18.86
297. Wenham — $18.94
298. Sharon — $19.00
299. Sturbridge — $19.02
300. Holyoke — $19.08
301. Acton — $19.24
302. Westfield — $19.25
303. Wales — $19.34
304. Sherborn — $19.46
305. Southbridge — $19.48
306. Charlemont — $19.51
307. Townsend — $19.52
308. Springfield — $19.53
309. Fitchburg — $19.71
310. Pittsfield — $19.71
311. Paxton — $19.73
312. Gardner — $19.74
313. Granby — $19.77
314. Lancaster — $19.85
315. Colrain — $19.93
316. Ashburnham — $20.10
317. Chesterfield — $20.11
318. Plainfield — $20.12
319. Millis — $20.14
320. Hampden — $20.15
321. Dalton — $20.29
322. Westhampton — $20.32
323. Orange — $20.33
324. Warwick — $20.37
325. Bolton — $20.39
326. Leverett — $20.49
327. Huntington — $20.52
328. Stow — $20.61
329. Ludlow — $20.62
330. Williamsburg — $20.62
331. Ware — $20.63
332. Maynard — $20.64
333. Lanesborough — $20.68
334. Chester — $20.70
335. East Longmeadow — $20.84
336. Palmer — $21.22
337. Amherst — $21.32
338. Adams — $21.88
339. Pelham — $21.89
340. Heath — $22.25
341. Wilbraham — $22.38
342. Russell — $22.71
343. Greenfield — $22.93
344. Shutesbury — $24.04
345. Longmeadow — $24.21

 

i really would have thought it would be the opposite with a lot of these. i figured the closer you were to boston the higher you'd be

 

the price of the land is going to be a lot higher for purchasing but lower regarding the taxes to keep up with the house. For instance, if a person doesn't mind commuting, they can purchase a home with five bedrooms, three bathrooms, two floors, three garages, 3000 Sq Ft home on 2 acres and live like a king for $600,000 in Ludlow in Western mass will be paying higher property taxes per quarter, but $600,000 in Braintree would be getting them a two bedroom, one floor, 1200 Sq Ft house on 1/8th on an acre.