Average Tax Rate To Increase $400 For FY2020

BURLINGTON, MA — The average residential tax burden will increase $200 from last year. Burlington's selectmen voted last month to set the residential to commercial tax shift for the current fiscal year, 2020. Presented with a range of options, they selected a shift that will set the residential tax rate of 9.64 mills, or $5,466 for the average single family home assessed value of $567,000.

In the last fiscal year, the average single family home bill was $5,266, for a rate of 10.48 on an average value of $502,500.

With a single tax rate for both commercial and residential rates, the average single family bill this year would be $8,930. Based on town meeting budget votes, the total tax levy increase is 4.5 to 4.6 percent, town officials said. Commercial properties will pick up about 65 percent of the bill, while residential value is actually about 60 percent of the town's property value.

The average residential value increased a huge amount, some 12.84 percent, Selectman Jim Tigges noted, the biggest increase in decades.

"The town continues to increase its property values," said Treasurer Brian Curtin. "Obviously we're in a good economic climate right now. We've had a good run."

The selectmen also voted to replace Brenda Rappaport on the zoning board of appeals with alternate Jim Sheridan. Rappaport was named to the planning board, also to fill a vacancy, at the previous meeting. The appointment lasts until July 1, 2020.

They heard an update on the Lahey Center 5k run, which raised over $500 thousand this year, and approved a request from Life Time Fitness to hold a New Year's Day "commitment day" 5k run.

The AMC theater won an extension to its hours for Star Wars showings; the movie is three hours long and will be allowed to have 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. showings. It comes out on Dec. 19.

The board also approved a conservation restriction for 20 Corporate Drive, which protects that area for preservation, in perpetuity.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.