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Friday, March 2, 2018
Residents upset over high property assessments By Sara Brown
T
he Board of Assessors appeared before the City Council on Monday night after several residents complained about new property assessments and the rising cost to live in the Beach City. According to Board of Assessors Chairman Dana Brangiforte, along with members John Verrengia and Mathew McGrath, the city will have to raise $82 million on the tax levy to meet all budget requirements. Brangiforte stated that the assessments reflect the current real estate market and his board has no control over setting the tax rate. “As assessments of properties go up, the tax rate goes down and vice versa,” said the chairman. “We don’t control the taxes,” he said. Brangiforte said that for 2018 the tax rates are $12.96 for residential and $25.36 for commercial property. In 2017, the residential tax rate was $13.99 and for commercial property it was $27.53. However, Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky said he was worried about residents being priced out of a city they have lived in their whole lives. “This is an issue all over the city. We have to balance out taxes and assessments. It just seems my neighborhood got whacked,” he said. The councillor said his property went up $60,000.
Members of the Board of Assessors appeared before the City Council on Monday night at city hall after residents complained about the new property assessments. Chairman Dana Brangiforte, along with members John Verrengia and Mathew McGrath, are shown answering question from council members.(Advocate photo by JD Mitchell)
Ward 5 Councillor John Powers said he received complaints from residents, too, saying St. George residents saw their assessments go up astronomically. “The people who are affected are the people who can least afford it,” he said. “We have seniors living on a fixed income. This will crush them.”
Councillor-at-Large Steve Morabito said this isn’t just a Revere problem. “Everywhere you go home values are skyrocketing,” he said. He also said this can be good news to people who are trying to sell their homes. “If you’re selling you want your assessment to be high and the tax
rate goes down, but assessments are up, and they’re assessed at lower than market value,” Morabito said. Brangiforte said there are different kinds of exemptions people can apply for if they meet the requirements. Also, he noted that residents have 30 days to appeal the new
property value. He also said commercial development coming to the city will help the taxes go down. “New growth at Suffolk Downs and Wonderland should help,” Brangiforte said. Some residents in the audience said they saw more than a $700 increase on their tax bill.
Schools Supt. assures parents about school safety By Sara Brown
A
f ter the tragic school shooting at a Parkland, Fl a . , h i g h s c h o o l w h i c h claimed 17 innocent lives,
for a Contact usation No Oblig
the Revere School Committee discussed school safety and what they’re doing to prevent such tragedies. “We want you to know our students are safe,” Super-
intendent Dr. Dianne Kelly said at the February 27 School Committee meeting. Kelly said they could not tell the parents or the public the department’s complete plan
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they have in place, out of safety reasons, but assured the public they have a relationship with Revere police and fire and are prepared for any situation.
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Every school in the district has regular drills which include locked doors to practice any situation. If someone needs to get into a school, they have to buzz in and go through a front desk. Each school has a binder of important information and protocol in event of an emergency incident – on what to do and who to call. Teachers and administration have access to this binder online, but the public does not. There is also an emergency response team at every school. According to a recent survey conducted by the Re-
SAFETY | SEE PAGE 21