Property Tax Study Committee recommends local circuit breaker at Article 33

LINCOLN — May 3, 2021 — Lincoln's Property Tax Study Committee recommends a Sudbury-style local circuit breaker for Article 33. Committee Chair Jennifer Glass told an Article 33 information forum the home rule petition would help an estimated 30 to 40 economically vulnerable households over 65, adding roughly $73 to the average tax bill in year one and a maximum of $145 in years two and three, with the program capped at 0.5 percent of the tax levy in year one and up to 1 percent thereafter. Glass said Sudbury, the template, has served 100 to 124 residents annually since fiscal 2014, with average benefits rising from $2,500 to about $4,400. Lincoln's version would change only the residency requirement, to five years, "simply because we think it would be more inclusive." Glass also announced that residents who pledged help after the December 2018 school vote will fund a parallel program for qualifying homeowners under 65, to be administered by the Board of Assessors. Article 33 requires a simple majority; if approved, the legislature must act before a second implementation vote, earliest in spring 2022.