Vacancy Notice: Join the Tax Relief Fund Committee!
The Select Board is seeking individuals to serve on the Tax Relief Fund Committee which is tasked with easing the burden on those members of our community who may be least able to absorb the costs associated with the rising tax burden. With the unprecedented rise in values of real property in Shrewsbury over the last several years, the tax burden on all residents has been amplified in order to meet the budgets approved at Town Meeting to provide the services desired and required by those who call Shrewsbury home. While increased and improved social, educational and public safety services are desirable, they come at a cost that many, especially our most senior or disabled residents who are living on fixed incomes will find difficult to afford.
With the support of the Town Meeting Members, the Town Manager, the Council on Aging and the Shrewsbury Public Schools, implementation of a Tax Relief Fund was requested and approved at the May 21, 2022 Annual Town Meeting under the provisions of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 60, Section 3D. This law allows for creation of a specialized fund to which taxpayers and others can voluntarily donate, which is then dispersed as tax relief by this committee.
The Committee would be comprised of the Chairman of the Board of Assessors, the Treasurer, and three residents appointed by the Select Board, and their charge would be to develop an application and qualification parameters, and distribute the funds each year as credits to the actual tax bills of approved participants.
The deadline to apply is December 13, 2022 at 4:30 pm.
How to Apply
For consideration, please submit a letter of interest highlighting your interest in this committee, a biographical profile summarizing your background and qualifications, and confirming your availability to the Select Board no later than December 13, 2022. Please be sure to address the following questions:
- Why are you interested in serving on the Tax Relief Fund Committee?
- Please describe the knowledge and experience that you bring that would help the committee in completing its charge.
Letters of interest can be sent by mail to the Office of the Select Board at 100 Maple Ave or by email to ahorgan@shrewsburyma.gov.
