February 2020 When we moved to Sandwich 22 years ago, I wondered why the property tax rate was so high compared to neighboring towns. Residential Property Tax Rate (not including exclusions for residents where available) Falmouth: $8.56 Mashpee: $8.92 Barnstable: $9.37 Bourne: $10.51 Plymouth: …
Category: Local Government Funding
Why your real estate taxes may be higher than they should be
January 2019 If assessments were accurately calculated, about 40% of homeowners on Cape Cod and the islands would be paying less property tax. I have every reason to believe that is also true for all Massachusetts cities and towns. State law requires that assessments reflect the current market value of a house. But the only…
There’s a better way to pay for education
April 2018 US News ranked Massachusetts first in school systems in the US, despite one of the more regressive education funding systems in the country. Most states spread the burden of education costs. One state, Hawaii, runs the whole system at the state level. California devotes 40% of state revenues to fund local systems. In…
How many Fire Departments does a town need?
January 2018 In much of the country, including Florida where many of us go in winter, counties are the basic unit of government. Police, fire, schools (and several other functions) are the responsibility of elected county officials. That is not the case in Massachusetts. After years of mismanagement, the citizens of Massachusetts abolished government in…
A proposal for funding the maintenance and improvement of the infrastructure of the town of Sandwich, MA
Suggested by: Jack Edmonston and Jim Pierce Prepared in 2016 Introduction: This is an idea, a suggestion, not completely formed, which we understand needs work. The comprehensive Long Range Capital Plan (LRCP) submitted to the Board of Selectmen (BoS) by the Capital Improvement Planning Committee (CIPC) on November 19, 2012 includes five recommendations. The intent…