Fiscal Year 2023 Tax Rate $19.20

How The Tax Rate Was Determined

Historical Tax Rates

Board of Assessors

Mission Statement

The Board of Assessors consists of an appointed three member board each holding a three year term. One assessor will be appointed to office annually.  Assessors are subject to the oath of office, responsible for the actual valuation of property and must meet the requirements set by MA General Laws Chapter 58 §1.

Responsibilities & Services

The assessors are responsible for administering the property, motor vehicle, and boat excise tax for the Town of East Longmeadow. The property tax includes real and personal property. Assessments in Massachusetts are based on full and fair cash value as of January 1 of each year for the upcoming fiscal year.

Assessed values are subject to quinquennial review to attain certification by the Department of Revenue as mandated by law. The Board of Assessors are responsible to plan and carry out the reassessment program necessary to achieve full and fair cash value in accordance to the requirements of MA General Laws, Chapter 40, §56.

The assessors act on all statutory exemptions, tax deferrals and abatement applications. The assessors are responsible for defending all appeals made to the Appellate Tax Board. The assessors administer all special assessments under forest management, agricultural / horticultural and open space preservation programs.

Role in Town Government

The Board of Assessors plays a major role in the financial management of East Longmeadow. Each year the board must review and value all new construction and track this value to determine new growth, allowing the levy limit to increase accordingly.

The Board of Assessors annually meet with the Board of Selectmen to present the Tax Classification Hearing. The assessors provide information to the selectmen to make an informed decision when voting whether or not to shift the tax levy among residential, commercial, industrial, and personal property based on guidelines established by the law. Submission of the Recapitulation Sheet for approval of the annual tax rate each year is a time-consuming and complex task.

The Board of Assessors spends many weeks collecting the necessary documentation, balancing and inputting information, before submitting the Recap to the Department of Revenue for review and approval.

Department Structure

The Assessing Department has a full time Director of Assessing and office staff to oversee the daily operations of the office.