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Gardner issues dog-license and excise-tax reminders; fee waiver for residents 70+ noted
Summary
Mayor Nicholson reminded residents that dog licenses are due March 31 and that excise tax bills were mailed Feb. 3 and due March 5; he said residents 70 and older are exempt from the dog-license fee under a city ordinance change adopted unanimously.
Mayor Nicholson reminded Gardner residents of two routine civic obligations: dog licenses are due by March 31, and motor-vehicle excise tax bills mailed Feb. 3 are due March 5.
Regarding dog licenses, the mayor said state law requires owners to register dogs annually and that the city receives rabies-certificate information directly from veterinarians for verification. He warned that failure to register (or failure to notify the clerk that a dog no longer lives in Gardner) can result in violations. The mayor noted that a city ordinance change proposed by Councilor Darnell Lowitz and the mayor and adopted unanimously by the city council waives the dog-license fee for residents age 70 and older while they still must register the animal.
On excise taxes, the mayor said bills were mailed Feb. 3 and that payments are due March 5. Residents who do not receive a bill should contact the treasurer-collector at (978) 630-4008 or visit City Hall; the mayor explained that forwarding-address issues sometimes cause undelivered bills and that Massachusetts law places responsibility for paying excise on the vehicle owner.
Why this matters: Missing the deadlines can lead to penalties; the fee waiver for seniors reduces a cost for older residents who keep companion animals.
Ending: The mayor urged residents to call the treasurer-collector or visit City Hall if they have not received bills and thanked city staff for administering the processes.
