Town Manager Weekly Update - January 9, 2025
Elaine Lazarus
New Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption for School Building Construction Projects
I am happy to announce a new means-tested senior citizen property tax exemption for school building construction projects. For qualifying seniors, a property tax exemption equal to or less than the actual cost of borrowing (including principal and interest) in any fiscal year, for a specific school building construction project, will be available starting in Fiscal Year 2026. The Hopkinton Board of Assessors will administer the program and determine the exemption amounts annually. Qualifications are very similar to the existing circuit breaker programs. Information and guidelines on the new exemption will be included in the Senior Solutions Guidebook: Senior Solutions Guidebook.pdf
Here is a brief history of how this new exemption came about:
The Select Board and others had discussed possible options for additional tax relief for seniors and also for school building projects, when school projects were proposed in the last few years. The Board submitted an article into the 2024 Annual Town Meeting warrant to authorize the submission of a petition to the Massachusetts Legislature to allow the Town to create this program.
Town Meeting voted in favor of submitting the petition.
The petition was submitted to Representative James Arena-DeRosa, and it was filed in July 2024.
The petition proceeded through the legislative process, thanks to the work of Rep. Arena-DeRosa, Senator Karen Spilka, and their staff, and the Governor signed it on January 6, 2025. For more detail on the legislative process, click here: Bill H.4848
Apply for Assistance from Senior & Disabled Tax Relief Fund - Application Deadline Feb. 21. Donate to the Senior & Disabled Tax Relief Fund
Another property tax relief program offered by the Town is through the Senior and Disabled Tax Relief Fund, which is administered by the Hopkinton Tax Relief Committee. Solely funded through donations, assistance is available for those who qualify:
Applicants must be at least 60 years old or have a state-recognized disability, and applicants must own and occupy a single-family home in Hopkinton as their primary residence.
The maximum income for a household of one is $52,000, $63,000 for a household of two, $73,000 for a household of three, and $80,000 for a household of four.
The amount of assistance is dependent on the funding available. The Fund is entirely community-driven. Donations from Hopkinton residents, businesses, and civic organizations are its only source of income, and no taxpayer dollars are used to provide assistance. In the past, about two dozen low-income, senior, or disabled homeowners received aid each year. However, in 2024, the number of qualified applicants jumped 45%, and another significant jump is expected this year.
Applications are due by February 21, 2025.
Click here for the 2025 Hopkinton Tax Relief Application. It is also available at Town Hall (18 Main St.), the Senior Center (28 Mayhew St.), the Hopkinton Public Library (13 Main St.), and the Youth and Family Services Dept. (18 Main St.). The Treasurer’s Office will mail the form to those who call 508-497-9715 to request one.
Donations to the Fund can be made online here or by check. Checks should be made out to “Town of Hopkinton” and must have “Tax Relief” in the memo line. Mail checks to Tax Relief Fund, Town of Hopkinton, 13 Main St., Hopkinton, MA 01748. Donations are 100% tax-deductible.
The Fiscal Year 2026 Town Budget - Share Your Ideas and Recommendations
The Hopkinton Select Board is responsible for submitting a budget each year to the Appropriation Committee and to Town Meeting. The Board wants your ideas and recommendations for the fiscal year 2026 budget (July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026), which is being developed now. The budget will be voted at the May 5, 2025 Annual Town Meeting. An online form for you to share ideas and recommendations with the Board is available via the link or QR code below. Thank you in advance for your feedback!
Link to survey: https://forms.gle/uwv62WPtMc2PZ5xr6
Municipal Aggregation Public Hearing - January 21, 2025
On November 7, 2024, the Town of Hopkinton filed a request with the Department of Public Utilities (“Department”) for approval of a municipal aggregation plan pursuant to G.L. c. 164, § 134. General Laws c. 164, § 134 authorizes a municipality to procure electric supply on behalf of consumers within its municipal borders through a municipal aggregation program (“Program”). Eligible electricity consumers not already enrolled with a competitive electric supplier would be automatically enrolled in the Program unless they chose to opt out, in which case they would continue to receive basic service provided by their electric distribution company, Eversource. The Department docketed this petition as D.P.U. 24-184.
The Town has retained MassPowerChoice to serve as its consultant in this proceeding and to assist in the implementation of the Program.
The Department will conduct a virtual public hearing to receive comments on the Town’s filing. The Department will conduct the hearing using Zoom videoconferencing on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Attendees can join by entering the link, https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87178872065 from a computer, smartphone, or tablet. No prior software download is required. For audio-only access to the hearings, attendees can dial in at (301) 715 8592 (not toll free) and then enter the Meeting ID# 871 7887 2065. If you anticipate providing comments via Zoom during the public hearing, to the extent possible, please send an email by the close of business (5:00 p.m.) on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, to timothy.m...@mass.gov with your name, email address, and mailing address.
For more information, or to view the full filing please visit the following link: NOTICE OF FILING, REQUEST FOR COMMENTS, AND PUBLIC HEARING
Hopkinton Youth & Family Services January Newsletter: HYFS January 2025 Newsletter
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