Tax hike proposal hearing set for Monday

LEOMINSTER » City residents can expect to start feeling the financial effects of the pandemic — which could potentially be long term — especially when it comes to shouldering more of the tax burden beginning in 2021.

While certain classes of commercial property values have increased over the last year, others have not.

“Some things like apartment buildings are doing well, while commercial retail is obviously suffering,” said interim Assessor William Connor. “There is a shift – the tax burden is more on the residential side.”

The new proposed increased tax rate is expected to be set at Monday’s City Council meeting after a public hearing at 6 p.m.

The proposed new rate is $18.13 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, an increase from the fiscal 2020 tax rate of $17.98 per $1,000, which will increase, on average, the annual single family property tax bill to about $5,344, according to Connor.

Average property values have increased across the city. For 2021, the total assessed value of all taxable property comes is $4,315,395,892, a 3.5% increase over the $4,175,581,658 total in 2020, he said.

Single-family homes in Leominster, on average, showed a 4.4% increase in assessed value – down from a 7% increase last year. Industrial properties accessed value went up 1.4%, commercial properties saw a 6.2% decrease, and personal property

Pathway in Devens. There’s the continued investment in the growing community of Devens, the number of jobs expected to be brought in from both the construction of the complex and the establishment of a company within the complex.

“We do have a growing life sciences hub here in Devens and I’m very proud of that,” Strunkin said. “I think this has great potential in what these different companies bring.”

Members of the communities surrounding Devens also expressed excitement in the project.

Melissa Fetterhoff, president and CEO of the Nashoba Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the region would benefit from the continued growth of Devens and the jobs offered from the construction and the company opening up shop.

“Devens has done very well with all of the business it’s brought in to benefit the region,” Fetterhoff added.

Alan Manoian, director of Ayer’s Office of Community & Economic Development, pointed out how Devens’s proximity to Ayer could lead to benefits for both communities.

One of the main entrances to Devens is located on Ayer’s West Main Street, where Manoian and the town are looking to revitalize with infrastructure improvements covered by a recently received $3.1 million MassWorks grant. With Pathway and the job opportunities it could afford, Manoian said potential employees could see the planned housing developments on West Main Street as a means of lessening their commute.

“This is the hope and vision for the West Ayer Village,” he added. “People can say, ‘ Yeah, wouldn’t it be great to live and reside closer to this wonderful job I have in Devens?’ The average commute for Ayer folks to work is 35 minutes, with jobs in Devens it’d be a 10-minute commute. Hopefully this will also have a benefit to our commuter rail and ridership.”

Lynch’s estimated completion date for Pathway is 2027.