Great Barrington — The Select Board voted to set a single town tax rate of $13.24 for fiscal year 2026 following a presentation by Emily Schilling, the town assessor, who reviewed the results of the townwide revaluation and the levy-limit calculation.

Schilling told the board the town’s total assessed value is $2,309,091,365 and that the residential class represents about 84% of that base. She reported FY26 new growth of $20,467,760 and laid out the levy computations that produced a maximum allowable levy of $31,070,637 and an estimated tax levy of $30,572,370, leaving an excess levy capacity of $498,267. Using those figures, she calculated a single tax rate of $13.24 per $1,000 of assessed value, down from last year’s 13.79, and recommended the Select Board maintain a single rate rather than adopt a split rate.

Schilling gave examples of how the single rate would affect typical households: a median single-family house assessed at $511,950 would see a tax bill of $6,778.22 (an increase of about $142.47 from last year), while an average house assessed at $637,735 would see a bill of $8,443.61 (about $170.42 higher). She also showed split-rate scenarios under which residential property would pay a lower rate but commercial/industrial/personal property (CIP) would shoulder larger increases; the board of assessors cautioned that splitting the rate would shift significant burden to the CIP class.

Board members discussed options for tax relief, focusing on the residential-exemption concept and other targeted reliefs (senior, veteran, blind exemptions) already available. SeveralSelect Board members and residents urged a formal study to analyze who would qualify under a residential exemption and the net fiscal impact; Schilling and staff said such an analysis would require additional work and budgetary resources.

The board closed the classification public hearing and adopted the single tax rate and the Fire District tax rate (set at $1.51) in roll-call votes recorded by the chair. The board also agreed to consider commissioning the requested study on the residential exemption and to refer any fund requests for that work to the budget process.

Votes at a glance: the Select Board approved the FY26 town single tax rate of $13.24 and the Fire District rate of $1.51 in recorded roll-call votes; the public hearing on the classification was closed before those votes.

The next procedural step for any change such as a residential exemption would be an in-depth staff analysis and, if recommended, referral through the finance committee and a future town meeting for final authorization.