Updated, August 6
Emotions intermittently flared between Islanders and seasonal residents during a tense meeting in West Tisbury last week as town officials consider implementing a property tax change that would benefit year-round residents at the expense of second homeowners.
Some residents argued the tax change was a necessary step to help address a high cost of living, while others claimed it would create a class structure that would sow division in the up-Island community.
The town assessing department has put forward a range of possible exemptions, from 5-percent up to 35 percent. A 35 percent exemption could translate to approximately $2,000 in annual savings for a year-round household.
The tax exemption is based on the average value of residential properties; town officials believe there are about 1,000 properties eligible for the exemption in West Tisbury, though they are still solidifying the number (The town had issued letters to residents in June to kick off the pre-qualification period).
West Tisbury has always had a single property tax rate for the past 40 years, meaning there is no exemption for homeowners whose primary residence is in town. The only on-Island towns that have a resident tax exemption are Oak Bluffs and Tisbury.
Some town officials see the exemption as helping the housing pinch felt on the Island. “If all of the people who try to live here and try to sustain the community can’t afford to live here, then there’s no one to sustain the community,” select board chair Jessica Miller said.
West Tisbury’s select board and board of assessors hosted a public informational discussion about the proposed residential tax exemption on Wednesday.
Several West Tisbury residents pushed for the tax exemption to preserve the town’s community.
Chris Lyons, a year-round resident, said many homeowners with second and third homes in West Tisbury are raising the value of neighboring residences. He noted that that ultimately raises property taxes and puts an additional burden on residents who are struggling to afford to live on the Island.
“It gives us more of an even hand,” he said of the exemption. “And I think that if not [adopted], we’re going to start chasing more and more and more people off this Island quicker and quicker.”
Mary Lee Carlomagno, a teacher at Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School, said home values have “skyrocketed” compared to incomes and that’s pushing teachers and families off the Island — which she called the “compelling reason” to implement the exemption.
“I chose to live here, but I’m also finding it hard to keep up,” she said.
Rachel Baumrin, who used to be a seasonal resident, had mixed feelings about the potential property tax change. She said, ultimately, the town’s voters — year-round residents — should decide.
“My community is dwindling because of the lack of affordable housing and the higher rates living here,” she said. “I don’t want to continue to see that.”
But not everyone has been pro residential tax exemption. Some residents feared the tax structure would become a wedge further pushing apart year-round and seasonal residents.
Bea Phear, a year-round resident, said there was already plenty of societal division. She noted that second homeowners “pay out” much more money than what they consume in services. She said preserving the town’s “sense of community” was more important than the savings the exemption may bring for some people.
Nick Puner, who used to be a seasonal West Tisbury resident, questioned the wisdom of creating “two classes” among the town’s residential property owners for a limited amount of tax benefits.
“At this time, I don’t see any reason to do this,” Pune said.
Jonas Herbsman pushed back on the “common assumption” that all second homeowners are “significantly wealthy.” Herbsman owns a second home in West Tisbury, where he hopes to eventually move to full time. He said that he stays in the home around five months out of the year and he saved for over 30 years to acquire the property. Herbsman also said the tax would make him reassess how much he can donate to Vineyard nonprofits like the Island Grown Initiative. While he is fine with paying for services he does not use, like for the West Tisbury School, he disapproved of having to pay his “fair share plus somebody else’s share.”
“I don’t think that it adds to this sense of community to say to people because you don’t have a vote … in saying whether you’re additionally taxed or not,” he said, calling for another solution to Island affordability.
Although no decision was made on Wednesday, West Tisbury officials encouraged residents to submit letters with their thoughts about the tax exemption to Anderson of the assessors’ office. The community’s ambivalence was also reflected in the letters already submitted to the town.
A decision will be made by the select board during the tax classification hearing in the fall.
Conversation continued among residents about tax exemption as people dispersed from the meeting room. Some expressed how beneficial they thought the tax exemption would be for year-round residents while others voiced their disgust at the potential classification.
Equal rights under the laws, taxation without representation. Interesting concepts…. So West Tisbury residents propose to treat different homeowners who do not necessarily vote in West Tisbury. differently for taxation purposes, …. where do people come up with this stuff?? I am unsure that makes sense, but then, it is a free country (still?)! I am glad my house was in Edgartown….!
My understanding is there is a waterfront “premium tax” in west Tisbury which I fully support as a seasonal resident and FT property owner. So it’s misleadedinb to say it’s a single tax rate town. However, I enthusiastically support a differential rate for seasonal homes. I want to see the Island affordable for those who work here year round. I’ve watched the increase in wealth in neighboring properties- no doubt they won’t even notice the increase.
Ellen Sturgis, Thumb Point, west Tisbury. (Stow MA YR).
I’m appalled at this type of taxation conversation!
In England, people say things like, “know your place” or “you need an invite to enter the club.”
Are we really trying to create a divided community? Please, no.
West Tisbury has one of the highest tax rates on the Island while its neighbor, Chilmark, has the lowest. That is primarily due to very poor management and waste. The taxpayers of WT should rebel and get new management. If I got involved I could reduce the tax rate by 35% the first year and the Town would not see any loss in services.
Mark –Where did you ever get the idea to speak
like that? We all know that tiny donnie is the only
person who could do all of that. Just like he did in
the first year of his presidency.
AHHHHhhh yes ! I remember it well, we had a budget surplus and
everyone got a tax cut. No govt services got cut, and the border
was secure from all of those “dirty” immigrants, thanks to
Mexico paying for the beautiful impenetrable wall with a door.
And there were no wars or terror attacks in America either.
I’m sure you remember it all very clearly.
The tax rates for FY 24 are as follows Chilmark $2.12, Edgartown $2.55, West Tisbury $4.30, Oak Bluffs $5.23, Aquinnah $6.40, Tisbury $7.98.
So get involved.
I could be President . . .
It is about time we start taxing the nonprofit organizations on the island They have enough property now to maintain just remember every time they buy a piece of land it takes it off the tax rate even if they pay half what they should your tax bill would probably go down to half of what it is now
Should all property in town pay real estate taxes?
The SSA is nonprofit.
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