Assessors

Tax Rate Information

• The Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2023 was $16.18 per thousand of property valuation.
• The Tax Rate for Fiscal Year 2024 is $16.33 per thousand of property valuation.
• The total value of both Real and personal Property in the Town of Blackstone for FY2023 is 1,338,217,490.
• Fiscal Year 2022 total value was 1,164,864,930.
• This represents a % change increase of 14.88%.
• The average single-family residential assessment for Fiscal 2022 Class 101 increased by +14.88%. This assessment is based on sales that occurred between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021.
• 2022-2023 % Change in Average Value: Value/Parcel Count
• New Value - Old Value = Amount Changed
• Amount Changed/Old Value = % Changed

Property values change due to market value determined by sales. Property Values can change as a result of additions, renovations, demolition, fire damage, or new construction.

The average assessment for a Single Family Residential Home in Blackstone in Fiscal 2023 is 378,798. Last year in Fiscal 2022 the average assessment was 329,729. This increase represents a +14.88% change in the Average Assessment.

The average tax bill in FY 2023 for "the average assessed Single Family Home", at the tax rate of $16.18 is $6,128.95. Last year the average tax bill in FY 2022 for "the average assessed Single Family Home", at a tax rate of $17.90 was $5,902.15. This represents an increase in the Average Tax Bill of +$226.80. This is a % change of +3.84%/year.

Formula to determine the Tax Rate

• Total Amount to be Raised − Other Revenue Receipts = Tax Levy
  32,084,416.98−10,432,058.00 = 21,652,358.98
• Tax Levy × 1,000 ÷ Total Real and Personal Property =Tax Rate
  21,652,358.98 × 1,000 ÷ 1,338,217,490 = $16.18

Taxpayer Information About Abatement Procedure

Reasons for an Abatement. An abatement is a reduction in the tax assessed on your property for the fiscal year. To dispute your valuation or assessment or to correct any other billing problem or error that caused your tax bill to be higher than it should be, you must apply for an abatement.

You may apply for an abatement if your property is:

• Overvalued (assessed value is more than fair cash value on January 1 for any reason, including clerical and data processing errors or assessment of property that is non-existent or not taxable to you),
• Disproportionately assessed in comparison with other properties,
• Classified incorrectly as residential, open space, commercial or industrial real property, or
• Partially or fully exempt.

Who May File an Application

You may file an application if you are

• The assessed or subsequently (acquiring title after January 1) the owner of the property
• The personal representative of the assessed owner's estate or personal representative or trustee under the assessed owner's will,
• A tenant paying rent who is obligated to pay more than one-half of the tax,
• A person owning or having an interest or possession of the property, or
•  A mortgagee if the assessed owner has not applied.

In some cases, you must pay all or a portion of the tax before you can file.

Applications are available at the assessors' office or online.

When & Where Application Must Be Filed

Your application must be filed with the assessors on or before the date the first installment payment of the actual tax bill mailed for the fiscal year is due unless you are a mortgagee. If so, your application must be filed during the last 10 days of the abatement application period. Actual tax bills are those issued after the tax rate is set. Applications filed for omitted, revised, or reassessed taxes must be filed within 3 months of the date the bill for those taxes was mailed.

These deadlines cannot be extended or waived by the assessors for any reason. If your application is not timely filed, you lose all rights to an abatement and the assessors cannot by law grant you one.

Applications May Only Be Accepted if Received by the Assessors' Office From January 1, 2023, Till the End of Day (4:30 pm) February 1, 2023

To be timely filed, your application must be

• Received by the Assessors on or Before the Filing Deadline or
• Mailed by United States Mail, First Class Postage Prepaid, to the Proper Address of the Assessors on or Before the Filing Deadline as Shown by a Postmark Made by the United States Postal Service.

Payment of Tax

Filing an application does not stay the collection of your taxes. In some cases, you must pay all preliminary and actual

installments of the tax when due to appeal the assessors' disposition of your application. Failure to pay the tax assessed when due may also subject you

to interest charges and collection action. To avoid any loss of rights or additional charges, you should pay the tax as assessed. If an abatement is

granted and you have already paid the entire year's tax as abated, you will receive a refund of any overpayment.

Assessors Disposition

Upon applying for an abatement, you may be asked to provide the assessors with written information about the property

and permit them to inspect it. Failure to provide the information or permit an inspection within 30 days of the request may result in the loss of your appeal rights.

The assessors have 3 months from the date your application is filed to act on it unless you agree in writing before that period expires to extend it for a

specific time. If the assessors do not act on your application within the original or extended period, it is deemed denied. You will be notified in writing

whether an abatement has been granted or denied.

Appeal

You may appeal the disposition of your application to the Appellate Tax Board, or if applicable, the County Commissioners. The appeal must be filed within 3 months of the date the assessors acted on your application, or the date your

The application was deemed denied, whichever is applicable.

The disposition notice will provide you with further information about the appeal procedure and deadline.

Government Services are taking precautions to minimize the potential for person-to-person spread of the COVID-19 virus. As a result, we ask that you follow the precautions notice that is posted on the Town Hall door. In addition to visiting the Town Hall, the Assessors will continue to service residents via phone or email. Our staff will be present in the office ready to respond to your calls and emails.

All abatement forms must be accompanied by the requirements specified in section "D" of the abatement form. Please drop completed forms in the "drop box" located in front of the Town Hall Building.

Forms may also be mailed or scanned and emailed to our office.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience during these difficult times.

The Board is supervised by the Department of Revenue's Division of Local Services, as provided by Chapter 58 of the General Laws. The Division of Local Services reviews the Board's assessment procedures every three years and certifies that property is being assessed at its full and fair cash value by auditing the Board of Assessors' records and procedures.

The Board of Assessors performs cyclical inspections of the property in Blackstone. The inspection process is mandated by the Department of Revenue, inspection of properties is an ongoing project. The goal is to inspect approximately 1/4 of all properties each year, thus inspecting 100% of the Town every four years. the purpose of these inspections is to maintain correct property record files.

The Blackstone Board of Assessors hires well-qualified independent contractors to do these inspections. If for any reason you do not wish a representative to measure your home or you have any questions or concerns, please notify the Assessor's office at 508-883-1500, ext. 121 or 122.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain the valuations, assessments, and classifications of all real and personal property within the Town of Blackstone for the purpose of generating tax revenues.
• Assess all property at its full and fair market value as of January 1 of each year.
• Process abatements and apportionment, maintain assessors' maps, plans, property transfer records, and valuation data
• Process requests for valuation adjustments and issues any appropriate abatements
• Process Statutory Exemptions on real estate property
• Commit all motor vehicle excise taxes and abatements