Tax choices in Easton

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On Monday in Easton a town meeting was held and approved two new tax relief options for seniors in the next fiscal year. A voice vote was unanimously approved by the Board of Finance, Elderly Study Committee, and the Board of Selectmen. Among the fifty officials and residents which attended not even one voice vote was negative. Though several questions were submitted by those in attendance about the ordinance, none how ever debated the contents. This new ordinance means that the committee will meet every three years to recommend changes if needed and review the ordinances provisions. Versions of the ordinance previously only included tax abetment programs for those seniors who were the age of 65 or older. This old abatment had been in place for more than 8 years.
Monday according to the new revised ordinance which was adopted will raise the income limit and will also include two options for tax relief which are new.
These two new options are a tax deferral or a tax freeze. For those senior who choose the option for a tax deferral plan will then have a lien placed on their home for a small portion of their taxes, which will then gain intrest at the towns borrowing rate. For those seniors which have a income which is limited to fifty thousand dollars will have the choice to freeze their taxes at the rate of last year with an added three percent.Only if the tax increase for a given year is more than three percent will this option apply.