Mansfield assessor outlines options as property values rise; levy growth capped at 2.5%

Chief Assessor Anne McCarthy presented the Select Board with the town’s tax-classification background and FY2025 assessment figures, telling members the town’s total taxable valuation rose by roughly $240 million to about $5.56 billion.

"Single-family values have increased by 5%" and "condominium values have increased 11%," McCarthy said, and she noted commercial and industrial class values moved differently: commercial +0.31%, industrial -0.21%. She emphasized that the levy itself can increase by only 2.5% under law, so classification is how the board allocates that allowable levy growth among property classes.

McCarthy explained the mechanics and policy tradeoffs: classification allows different tax rates for residential, commercial, industrial and personal property classes but does not increase total tax dollars collected. She described the five-year history of values by class, new-growth figures (residential new growth about $31 million, total new growth roughly $55.2 million) and translated that growth to about $880,000 in new tax dollars.

Select Board members asked whether Mansfield remains competitive with neighboring towns and whether shifting more of the tax burden to business would risk driving firms to other communities. McCarthy replied that Mansfield’s average single-family tax bill and the district’s rate trends remain broadly in line with neighboring communities, and she invited board members and residents to meet at the Assessor’s Office for detailed, household-level questions.

The board will consider the classification vote at its November meeting when more information, including the town manager’s input, will be available. No formal classification vote was taken tonight.