Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is ramping up her efforts to push a contentious tax proposal through the State House, despite dwindling prospects of success. The plan aims to shift more of the city's tax burden onto commercial real estate, preventing residential property owners from seeing significant tax spikes in the new year.
Wu has been warning that single-family homeowners in Boston are set to see a 13% hike in their property taxes starting January 1. She is urging business groups to affirm their support for the plan and speaking out about it more frequently during media appearances. However, Senate President Karen Spilka has thrown cold water on Wu's ambitions, highlighting alternative tax relief legislation from state senators Nick Collins and William Brownsberger.
The timing of the proposal is also working against Wu. The City Council is set to hold its final meeting of the year this week, when councilors must approve property tax rates and vote on the residential exemption amount. However, any potential action by the Legislature later in December could still come too late to prevent tax hikes.
Wu's plan would temporarily raise the cap on the commercial property tax rate before gradually returning to the current formulation over several years. This would help make up for a decline in commercial property values during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, business groups and fiscal watchdogs have offered mixed reactions, with some expressing concerns that increasing taxes on businesses could harm the local economy.
A feud is also brewing between Wu and Collins, who used a procedural move to kill Wu's proposal last year. Collins has accused Wu of playing politics, while Wu has called out Collins for being "either badly misinformed or purposely misleading voters" due to discrepancies between initial projections given by the city and final property valuations certified by the state.
Wu is still backed by allies on City Council and some labor unions, who have held a press conference in support of the proposal. However, it remains to be seen whether they can turn the tide in favor of Wu's plan.
Wu has been warning that single-family homeowners in Boston are set to see a 13% hike in their property taxes starting January 1. She is urging business groups to affirm their support for the plan and speaking out about it more frequently during media appearances. However, Senate President Karen Spilka has thrown cold water on Wu's ambitions, highlighting alternative tax relief legislation from state senators Nick Collins and William Brownsberger.
The timing of the proposal is also working against Wu. The City Council is set to hold its final meeting of the year this week, when councilors must approve property tax rates and vote on the residential exemption amount. However, any potential action by the Legislature later in December could still come too late to prevent tax hikes.
Wu's plan would temporarily raise the cap on the commercial property tax rate before gradually returning to the current formulation over several years. This would help make up for a decline in commercial property values during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, business groups and fiscal watchdogs have offered mixed reactions, with some expressing concerns that increasing taxes on businesses could harm the local economy.
A feud is also brewing between Wu and Collins, who used a procedural move to kill Wu's proposal last year. Collins has accused Wu of playing politics, while Wu has called out Collins for being "either badly misinformed or purposely misleading voters" due to discrepancies between initial projections given by the city and final property valuations certified by the state.
Wu is still backed by allies on City Council and some labor unions, who have held a press conference in support of the proposal. However, it remains to be seen whether they can turn the tide in favor of Wu's plan.
I'm telling you, something fishy is going on here... The way Wu is pushing this tax proposal forward, despite dwindling prospects of success, it's like she's trying to get something done before the year ends 
. And what's with all these "alternative" tax relief bills from Collins and Brownsberger? Sounds like a smoke screen to me 
. I mean, why would Wu be so eager to shift the burden onto commercial real estate when it's clear that residential property owners are already gonna get hit with a 13% hike 
? It just don't add up...
It's just gonna make it harder for people to afford homes here.
? Can't they just have a civil conversation about this? It's not like there's a lot of money on the table that's gonna change anyone's life. Let's focus on finding ways to help businesses recover from the pandemic, rather than pitting homeowners against them.
but noooo instead she's still pushing for her plan and making senate president karen spilka all mad at her meanwhile those single-family homeowners are gonna get hit with that 13% tax hike in january 
what a nightmare 
. Seriously though, 13% hike in property taxes? That's like getting a surprise bill from your aunt at Thanksgiving... not fun. And I feel for the single-family homeowners, but Wu's got some business folks on her side, which is weird because usually they're all about cutting costs, not increasing them 
. I mean, I get it, politics can be rough, but some of this stuff is just silly. Who wins? The people of Boston? Or will they all end up paying more in taxes because the politicians are too busy fighting each other 
!
. And Collins might be right, Wu is using this proposal as a means to an end, but if it doesn't deliver, people will remember 
.
just saw that Boston homeowners are gonna get slammed with 13% tax hikes 
and now there's a feud brewing between Wu and Collins? 
. Meanwhile, Collins and Brownsberger are pushing their own alternative legislation, which might make things even more complicated 
...
. She's trying to do what's best for Boston but its like everyone's got their own agenda. I mean, business groups are all about the benjamins, and Collins is just being a party pooper 
. I'm not sure what's more frustrating, the tax hike or the drama behind it 
. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu thinks she's clever by shifting the burden onto commercial real estate, but let's be real, that just means more onus on businesses to foot the bill 
. Can't we just have some straight talk for once?
...im not sure what the right answer is, but i know its gonna be a long and messy year in boston 
:
$1.4B
$1.2B (-14.3%)
Residential: 1.15%
her whole idea is to ease up on residential property owners, but business groups are still not sold 
might be time for wu to think outside the box (or state house) 
... can't they just agree to disagree?
I don't think it's that simple, though. Wu needs some real support from the community if this plan's gonna fly 
. Meanwhile, business groups are like "meh" about it 
. I'm all for helping out residential homeowners but Wu needs to find a better way to get people on board 
. still, this whole thing feels super politicized to me 
.
That would be a great gift to Boston homeowners! Anyway, Collins and Wu are like two rival characters from a drama TV show - they just can't seem to get along 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out in the State House... maybe she'll get her wish and save those residential property owners 
and it's gonna be hard for Wu to get her plan through 
and not let Collins' drama get in her head