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Posted on 04/13/2026 4:02:39 PM PDT by CFW
A quiet western Massachusetts town is being torn apart by a proposed 50% property tax hike — with neighbors stealing yard signs from one another and some residents warning they could be forced to sell their homes.
Residents of South Hadley, Mass., head to the polls Tuesday to vote on proposals to close the local budget gap.
One would raise $11 million for the town and hike average property tax bills by about $1,700 per year, according to the Daily Hampshire Gazette. The more modest proposal would generate a cool $9 million, increasing average property tax bills by roughly $1,400.
[snip]
Funds from the higher taxes would close a $3 million budget gap and pay for public schools, among other purposes.
Officials say the oft-cited “50% increase” reflects the town’s projected growth in its overall tax levy over five years under the higher option — not necessarily a single-year spike — and actual bills could vary depending on how much of that capacity the town ultimately uses.
Massachusetts already ranks among the most expensive states in the US for property taxes, with homeowners paying an average of $7,900 per year — trailing only a handful of Northeastern states like New Jersey and Connecticut.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
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I'm assuming most of the money going to public schools is to pay for the education of illegal aliens.
Those rates are not that high if it is for both local and school taxes.
Why not demand reduction in government spending? Or ask the Fed to print ‘Mass Money’ - only for bankrupt municipalities in Massachusetts. They can pay it down by ever illegal they allow deported from their state
And, to pay for the blue haired union member “teachers” to attend anti-Trump protests and sexualize the school kids.
Sickening.
I assume most of the money is going for higher pay and benefits for teachers and to pad out public employee pensions.
The solution is always to raise taxes, never to cut spending. Why? Abolish government indoctrination centers.
Politicians say, “More taxes will solve everything!”
....and the band played on....
“Those rates are not that high if it is for both local and school taxes.”
Your definition of “high” is different from mine when it comes to property taxes.
An increase of $1,700.00? My entire property tax on our ~2000 sq ft house and 15 acres of land is not much more than that.
The town is a few miles away. It’s not even that nice.
This is happening all over MA.
It’s Theft.
And you assume correctly
It’s the same everywhere, the difference is the degree
I figure that if my wife and I live another 10 years we will have to sell our home to pay our property taxes.
Our local government doesn’t give a shit because they figure whoever buys our house will be willing to pay the taxes. And when you get down to it that’s really all they’re concerned with
Partially correct.
Public employee pensions do suck up a lot of the new money. That's a fact.
But higher pay and benefits for teachers? Not in my experience. The schools just hire more administrators. Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent. And you need to hire a secretary for that new Assistant to the Assistant Superintendent too.
The teachers are not well paid, and the teaching staff is always stretched thin. But the central office is living large.
Public workers retirement and health plans.
63% of South Hadley voters in the 2024 presidential election are getting what they voted for.
Enjoy.
It’s a shame for the rest, though. And THEY are the ones whose taxes will be going up the most. Call it a hunch.
Underfunded Pensions
Keep voting RAT, people!!!!
See how it works out for you!! Not pretty!!
Would love to know if schools need more $$ in order to take care influx of illegals.
Feel bad for right thinking people in these communities!
Dissolve the police department, and merge with the county sheriff’s department. Problem solved.
We were counting on rental income from two paid off properties as part of our retirement income but the taxes and insurance have gone up so much that it’s now about even to the rent we charge. Sigh. And we can’t sell them without paying a huge amount of capital gains tax. But we’re blessed and haven’t missed any meals so I shouldn’t complain.
More like zero funded
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