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Holyoke Council approves 1.75 tax shift after debate over sewer budget and state oversight
Summary
After extended debate about municipal budgets and recent state review letters, the Holyoke City Council voted 10–2 to set the FY26 tax classification shift at 1.75 and adopted a supplemental wastewater budget amendment tied to a new sewer contract.
The Holyoke City Council voted 10–2 on Tuesday to set the fiscal-year 2026 tax classification shift at 1.75, establishing a residential tax rate of $17.43 and a commercial rate of $38.16.
The vote capped a lengthy exchange about affordability, long-term fiscal health and a late-filed supplemental adjustment to the wastewater (sewer) enterprise budget. Councilors said they were balancing the immediate tax burden on homeowners with the need for sustainable sewer rates after the city executed a new service contract that lowered estimated operations costs.
Councilor Kevin Jourdain warned the increase would further strain residents, saying a proposed 1.75 shift would amount to "a 7% tax increase" and called the cumulative rise over recent years "back…
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