Barnstable Assessments Penalize Absent Owners

Thomas A. DeRiemer
11 Wiswall Circle, Wellesley, MA 02482 781-235-9335 tderiemer@msn.com


September 1, 2007

Dear absentee/second home owner of property located in the Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts

Subject: Property taxation without representation:

The Town of Barnstable has found a way to unfairly transfer its operating costs to those of us who are non-resident owners. The new way is in addition to the tax on personal property that non-resident taxpayers do not pay. As of July, 2007, 15,438 properties had qualified for exemptions. More than 7,000 properties are taxed at 100% of their assessed value.

*Resident owners are granted a 20% residential assessment exemption. In 2007, this represents $1.6 billion in values shifted to non-residing owners. For the town-wide average, a Barnstable property, assessed at $540,485, the tax savings is significant. Using the example of a C-O-MM water district property, a resident’s Town + District tax rate is $6.43 per $1,000 of value (Tax levy is $3,474). The non-resident rate is $7.66 (Tax levy $4,140) – a difference of $666.

Typically, the non-resident taxpayer has no children in Barnstable schools, places minimum wear on roads and drains, recreation and social services. They should be taxed less, rather than more, than a full service year-round resident. IT’S NOT FAIR! The non-resident does not vote, it’s taxation without representation.