Treasurer reports 75% real-estate tax collection to Gardner City Finance Committee; motor-vehicle receipts lag for 2026

Treasurer Collector Ben Dauk told the Gardner City Council Finance Committee on March 31 that the city has collected $25,029,987.95 in fiscal 2026 real-estate taxes out of $33,550,028.56 billed, a 75% collection rate, with fourth-quarter payments due May 1.

Dauk, appearing as the first departmental update, said 7,143 real-estate bills were mailed for FY26 and that the office has issued $7,026.82 in refunds and $172,985.86 in abatements so far. "This represents a 75% collection rate," he said.

He also reported on personal-property taxes: 306 third- and fourth-quarter bills were mailed with $1,551,624.62 billed for FY26 and $1,206,944.38 collected to date, a reported 79% collection rate. For motor-vehicle excise, Dauk said the Registry of Motor Vehicles issued additional billing commitments: four for 2025 totaling $2,675,857.38 (with $2,437,366.51 collected, about 92%) and two so far for 2026 totaling $2,342,674.77 with $1,572,687.69 collected (about 65% to date).

Dauk noted refunds and abatements tied to those commitments; one abatement figure in the transcript was unclear and is recorded as unclear in the committee record. He said residents have 30 days to pay their bill without penalty.

Earlier in the meeting the committee dispensed with reading the March 10 minutes and approved them after a motion by Counselor Hedlund, seconded by Counselor Mack; the motion carried and the recorded vote tally was not specified.

The committee did not take further action on the treasurer’s report during the session. Fourth-quarter payments, due May 1, were noted as the next significant revenue milestone for the departments involved.