Springfield committee backs mayor—s "max shift" tax classification and asks mayor for $2 million more in levy relief

Patrick, chair of the Board of Assessors, told Springfield—s tax-classification committee that the Department of Revenue had certified the city—s assessed values and growth, clearing the way for a committee recommendation to the full City Council. "The mayor's recommendation will be to go to max shift, which would result in a reduction in the residential class to $15.85," Patrick said, describing the mechanics of split tax rates and the statutory cap on the shift.

The committee voted to recommend the mayor—s proposed residential tax factor (0.779096) to the City Council, which would lower the residential rate toward $15.85 per $1,000 and raise the commercial/industrial/personal property rate toward about $35.60. Freddie moved to adopt the mayor—s recommendation; Mark seconded the motion. After discussion — including concerns from business advocates and members who wanted to consult governance bodies — the motion passed with a single abstention from the chamber representative, Diana, and the committee chair and assessors— staff reported they would present the recommendation at Monday—s public hearing.

Committee members and staff framed the recommendation with fiscal context. Patrick said fiscal‑year 2025 new growth certified at about $6.3 million and that the city—s revenue mix was roughly 62.3% state aid, 29.6% property taxes and 8.1% local receipts. He warned that property tax relief without reducing the budget is limited: "It's about $15 per million," he said, referring to the approximate change in an average single‑family tax bill per $1 million of levy reduction.

The presentation reviewed how the assessed base has grown: average single‑family valuation rose from $238,700 in FY24 to $255,800 in FY25 (about +7%), and total assessed value for FY25 was reported at roughly $13.5 billion. Staff reviewed exemptions available to eligible taxpayers (including the local 41C relief, blind and veteran exemptions and the state senior "circuit‑breaker" credit) and outlined a proposed local donation program under General Laws c.60, §3D (described in the meeting as the "HERO Act") that the mayor would seek to seed with a home‑rule petition and an initial $1 million commitment.

Separately, the committee moved and voted to ask the mayor for an additional $2,000,000 to add to the plan to reduce the levy. The current package discussed at the meeting included a $1,000,000 mayoral commitment plus roughly $2,000,000 from investment yield already allocated, for a working total of about $3,000,000; the committee—s request would aim to raise that total by another $2,000,000. Mark made the motion to request the extra $2,000,000 and Freddie seconded; members debated using free cash now versus preserving reserves for unforeseen expenses and pension obligations before the committee approved the request.

Members also discussed how nonprofits and colleges are treated (tax‑exempt, with voluntary PILOT programs), and how MGM—21A revenue is handled separately from the property tax levy. Several committee members urged stronger outreach on existing relief programs: assessors— staff said information and applications are available on the city website and that some relief details already appear on the back of tax bills.

The committee—s recommendation and the request for additional levy reduction will be presented at the City Council—s public hearing Monday; staff explained the sign‑up process for public comment. The committee recorded its recommendation to the Council and agreed to press the mayor—s office for the supplemental $2 million.