The average tax bill should show very little change from last year, assessors said.
LUDLOW — The state Department of Revenue has approved a fiscal 2013 tax rate for the town of $17.17 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, Assessor Beverly Barry said.
The increase is a 19-cent increase over last year’s tax rate of $16.98.
The fiscal 2013 tax rate means the tax bill on the average $209,800 home in town will be $3,602.27, Barry said. In fiscal 2012 the average home was valued at $212,800 and the average tax bill was $3,613.34.
This year’s average tax bill should change very little from last year’s bill, Assistant Assessor Juanita Testori said.
Initially the Board of Assessors forecast the fiscal 2013 tax rate as $17.27. Selectmen asked the assessors to do everything possible to lower the tax rate so residents would not see a tax increase.
Testori said Town Accountant James Young refinanced some school borrowing, which allowed the tax bill to be set at a lower rate.
Tax bills are now collected quarterly, on Feb. 1, May 1, Aug. 1 and Nov. 1.
In fiscal 2012 the new tax rate increased 8.2 percent, and the average tax bill increased by $232. Selectman William Rooney said last year, “From the perspective of the average taxpayer, we are spending too much.”
Last March hundreds of Ludlow residents packed the Lusitano Club to voice concerns over property tax hikes.
Selectmen said the town budget is set by residents elected to a representative annual Town Meeting, not by the Board of Selectmen.
Selectmen said they would look for savings in town health insurance costs. Selectmen also supported increasing the restaurant meals tax to generate more property tax revenue.