What's New - Archive 2008

• List of Revaluation Contractors  - A compilation of names, contact information and appraisal services provided by Individuals or firms for the reassessment of municipalities in Massachusetts.
• City and Town  FOCUS: Spending on Snow & Ice Removal

November 2008

• City and Town  file size 1MB FOCUS: Community Preservation (CPA) State Match Update

October 2008

• Proposition 2 1/2 Ballot Questions - Requirements and Procedures (Revised) 
• 2008 Municipal Law Seminar Material

September 2008

• City and Town  FOCUS: Telephone Central Valuation - Trials and Tribulations
• Bulletin 2008-12B  - Classified Forest, Farm and Recreational Land Forms
• Fiscal Year 2009 Multiplier Tables Used for Wireless Company Advisory Values 
• Fiscal Year 2009 Multiplier Tables Used for Landline Telephone Company Values 
• IGR 08-208  Property Tax Deferral for Seniors (Supersedes IGR 06-201)
• Bulletin 2008-11B  - Course 101

August 2008

• Bulletin 2008-10B  - Application and Payment Due Dates on Non-business Days
• Bulletin 2008-09B  - Setting Demand Charge For Delinquent Local Taxes
• City and Town  FOCUS: A Ten-Year Perspective on Proposition 2 1/2 Overrides
• FY2009 Automated Recap Program (Excel Version)
• IGR 08-402  Fiscal Year 2009 Guidelines for Determining Annual Levy Limit Increase for Tax Base Growth
• IGR 08-401  Fiscal Year 2009 Guidelines for Annual Assessment and Allocation of Tax Levy
• Bulletin 2008-08B  Community Preservation Reporting Requirements
• Bulletin 2008-07B  Sewer Rate Relief Fund - FY2009

July 2008

• City and Town  FOCUS:Fiscal 2008 Average Single-Family Tax Bills and Assessed Values
• Bulletin 2008-06B  "What New In Municipal Law" Seminar
• FY2008 Bureau of Accounts -
• Guidelines for Development of a Minimum Reassessment Program - Revised 
• IGR 08-302  Fiscal Year 2009 Waivers to Education Reform Spending Requirements and Minimum Required Local Contributions
• IGR 08-301  Fiscal Year 2009 Payment Schedule For Cherry Sheet Programs
• Christmas Tree Valuation Clarification, Chapter 61 and 61A - FY2009 

June 2008

• City and Town  FOCUS:Calibration of Municipal Residential Recycling Rates Explained
• IGR 08-102  Guidelines for the Application of School Building Assistance Grants (Supersedes IGR 06-101)
• New Property Type Classification Code

  • The Bureau of Local Assessment has reissued the Property Type Classification Code Booklet  today, June 13, 2008, to include:

    508 Cellular/Mobile Wireless Telecommunications Companies

Because assessors are now responsible for valuing cellular/mobile wireless telecommunications companies this new code will facilitate easy identification of those companies.

This is the final version of the Booklet for FY2009.

• FY2009 Centrally Valued Pipeline Companies
  • FY2009 Centrally Valued Pipeline Companies Values  This shows the values by community for the pipeline companies.
  • FY2009 Pipeline New Growth  - Only Algonquin Gas Transmission Company reported new growth in the following six communities: Beverly, Bourne, Manchester, Marblehead, Salem and Sandwich.
  • FY2009 Centrally Valued Pipeline Companies Addresses  - This is a list of the billing addresses for centrally valued pipeline companies
• Additional Landline Telephone & Telegraph Data Fiscal Year 2009 - FCC Categories Memorandum 
  • FY2009 Additional Landline Telephone & Telegraph Data Pivot Table  file size 2MB
• Non-Arms Length Code Addition & Classification Code Clarification Memo 

May 2008

• 2008 Proposed Equalized Valuations
  2008 Proposed Equalized Valuations for each community, listing assessed values, equalized values and ratios by class, plus estimated growth.

• Cover Letter 
• Notice of Hearings Proposed 2008 Equalized Valuation 
• LA19 EQV Reports by Community 

• City and Town  FOCUS:Municipal Note Finance Through State House Program
• FY2009 Memorandum to Boards of Assessors 
• FY2009 Centrally Valued Landline Telephone and Telegraph Company Values 
• Advisory Wireless/Cellular Mobile Valuation and New Growth Data FY2009 to be posted by June 15, 2008
• FY2009 New Growth 
• FY2009 Centrally Valued Landline Telephone & Telegraph Companies 
• FY2009 Landline Companies Filing Returns to be Locally Valued 

April 2008

• Property Type Classification Codes, Non-Arms Length Codes and Sales Report Spreadsheet Specifications 
• IGR 08-101  Enterprise Funds, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, section 53F1/2
• City and Town    <img height=  FOCUS:New Growth: History & Numbers
• Important information on the potential fiscal impact of new Municipal Medicaid rule from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services
  • Cover letter from JudyAnn Bigby, MD, Secretary, EOHS 
  • Memo from Tom Dehner, Medicaid Director 
  • Municipality Specific Information on School based rule 

March 2008

• IGR 08-207  Calendar Year 2008 Adjustment in Land of Low Value Foreclosure Valuation Limit
• IGR 08-206  Optional Cost of Living Adjustment for Fiscal Year 2009 Exemptions
• IGR 08-205  Social Security Deduction for Fiscal Year 2009
• IGR 08-204  Fiscal Year 2009 Tax Bills Quarterly Payment System
  IGR 08-203  Fiscal Year 2009 Tax Bills Semi-Annual Payment System -Annual Preliminary Bills
• IGR 08-202  Fiscal Year 2009 Tax Bills Semi-Annual Payment System - Optional Preliminary Bills
• IGR 08-201  Fiscal Year 2009 Tax Bills Semi-Annual Payment System
• Bulletin 2008-05B  New Officials Finance Forum Including Registration Form
• Bulletin 2008-04B  FY2009 Budget Issues and Procedures
• Further Supplemental Data Required from FY2009 Telephone and Telegraph Filers 
• City and Town   FOCUS:Municipal Bond Ratings
• Cover letter from Deputy Commissioner  and
  Bulletin 2008-03B  Assessment of Poles and Wires on Public Ways
• Letter to Telephone & Telegraph Filers - Supplemental Data Required for FY2009 Filing 

February 2008

• Course 101 Handbook - Updated 2/08
• Guidelines For Development of a Minimum Reassessment Program Booklet 
• 2008 Equalized Valuation Study
  The Bureau of Local Assessment (BLA) will determine Equalized Valuations (EQVs) for each municipality as of January 1, 2008 as required by M.G.L. Ch. 58, §§ 9 - 10C. Consequently, communities not scheduled for certification for FY2008 must submit property sales reports to BLA electronically by February 29, 2008.
  • Cover Letter 
  • LA3 Property Sales Report Specifications 
  • Sales Report Submission Summary 
  • 10 Easy Steps for DLS Gateway On-Line Submission of LA3 Data 
• FY2009 - Farmland Valuation Advisory Commission Recommended Land Values and Farm Animal Excise
  • Cover Letter 
  • Chapter 61A Recommended Land Value 
  • Chapter 61 Forest Land (Woodland) Valuation Methodology 
  • Farm Animal Excise 
• Bulletin 2008-02B  Summary of 2007 Municipal Finance Law Changes

January 2008

• FY2009 Telephone and Telegraph Return:
  • Instructions Letter for Form 5941 
  • Form 5941  file size 3MB  * Please note that the multiplier table has not been updated on Form 5941 at this time.
• FY2009 Notification to Gas and Oil Pipeline Filers 
• Bulletin 2008-01B  Course 101 Training for Assessors