Patch Facts

Five Things: Lexpress Pilot, Tax Classification Hearing Tonight

A quick look at what you need to see, do and know today in Lexington.

1. Selectmen Meet Tonight: The Board of Selectmen is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. tonight at the Town Office Building and its agenda includes a the Lexpress Pilot program, a policy for plowing the Minuteman Bikeway, a tax classification hearing and a presentation on the Community Center Task Force's final report. 2. Lexington Youth Lacrosse Spring Registration: Registration is now open to the general public for Lexington Youth Lacrosse. The spring season runs from March through mid-June, and all Lexington residents in grades 1 through 8 are eligible to play.  Online registration as well as complete program descriptions by grade and gender are posted over at www.lexingtonlax.org. 3. Other Public Meetings: According to the town website, other…

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Town Manager Tuesdays: Financial Updates

Lexington's credit rating restored and a tax rate update.

This week’s reports deal with financial news about the town. 1.) Moody’s Credit Rating – Following the federal government’s debt crisis this past August, Moody’s Investors Service, which rates the debt of the federal, states and local governments, changed Lexington’s credit rating from Aaa, the highest level, to Aaa with a negative outlook. Moody’s was not singling out Lexington, but made this change to all of the states and local governments that had a Aaa rating. At the time, Moody’s wanted an opportunity to assess how the changes in the finances of the federal government may impact States and municipalities. Last week, Moody’s lifted the Aaa-negative outlook rating that they imposed on five Aaa-rated states and 119 Aaa-rated local …

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Tax Bills to Rise in Fiscal 2012

Selectmen pointed to capital needs and strong reserves last Wednesday, Dec. 7, as they set FY12 tax rates and decided against adopting residential, open space and small commercial exemptions.

The Board of Selectmen last week voted to raise taxes in fiscal 2012, setting a residential rate of $14.97 per $1,000 of assessed value and $28.46 per $1,000 of assessed value for commercial, industrial and personal property.  For the average Lexington homeowner, that means $10,318 in annual property taxes on a home with an assessed value of $689,000, an increase of $281 over the fiscal 2011 tax bill.   Factoring in new growth, which officials said masks changes in value, the FY12 assessed value for the average residential property is $697,450, with a tax bill of $10,441. The selectmen cited new growth as the reason they continue to tax right up to the levy limit established under Proposition 2 ½. But members of the board did say they …

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Sue Bruce

6:07 pm on Monday, December 12, 2011

There are many houses in Lexington whose assessed values seem far below their realistic market price - perhaps because they have been owned by the same home-owners for a long time. This is evident simply by looking at properties in the tax assessors database. It seems unfair to me that people who have recently moved to Lexington ... or perhaps have recently moved within the town itself will feel …   more ›

Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today: Dec. 5

Public meetings, pruning around powerlines and possible tax classification talks today in Lexington.

1. Tax Classifications, Debt Exculsion: It's a full agenda tonight for the Board of Selectmen, which is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. today at the Town Office Building and is expected to hold a tax classification hearing for the fiscal 2012 rate, discuss debt exclusion request for the Estabrook and Bridge and Bowman school projects and take up a Townwide Master Plan discussion, among other things. 2. Other Public Meetings: According to the town website, other public meetings posted for today include the Sidewalk Committee at 9 a.m. at the Town Office Building; the Community Preservation Committee at 3 p.m. at the Cary Memorial Building (to take a picture) and the Board of Assessors at 5:30 p.m. at the Town Office Building. 3. Pruning Around …

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