Guidelines, Opinions, Advisories and FAQs

Informational guideline releases, local finance opinions & bulletins issued in recent calendar years

Displaying 21 - 30 of 200

LFO 2024-2 Money from Marijuana Establishments and Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers

Division of Local Services

This Local Finance Opinion (LFO) addresses questions about the municipal finance law and accounting treatment of (1) local option excises on the retail sales of marijuana for adult use and (2) impact fees or other payments under a community host or other agreement with a marijuana establishment or medical marijuana treatment center in connection with its siting and operation in the municipality. It does not address how payments by those establishments or treatment centers are treated for purpose

LFO 2024-1 Insurance and Restitution Proceeds

Division of Local Services

This Local Finance Opinion (LFO) addresses questions relating to (1) the accounting treatment of money received by a city, town or district under an insurance policy or as restitution for damage to its property and (2) the availability of the money for expenditure.

LFO 2022-3 Transportation Network Company Per-ride Assessment Distribution 

Division of Local Services

This Local Finance Opinion (LFO) addresses questions relating to the municipal finance and accounting treatment of moneys distributed to a city, town or district from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund. (Uber and Lyft receipts)

LFO 2022-2 Exemption Eligibility When Property Is Held in Trust  

Division of Local Services

This Local Finance Opinion discusses personal and residential exemptions under G.L. c 59, § 5 and G.L. c. 59, §5C when property is held in trust.

LFO 2022-1 Exemption Eligibility for Electric Generating Systems When Situated on Property Owned by A Governmental Entity 

Division of Local Services

This Local Finance Opinion (LFO) examines exemption eligibility for electric generating systems when situated on property owned by a governmental entity.

LFO 2019-2 Timeliness of Property Tax Abatement Applications filed with the Local Board of Assessors 

Division of Local Services

This LFO explains the statutory rules regarding the deadline for filing abatements of property tax with the local board of assessors. While there is a statutory postmark rule regarding the mailing of abatement applications to local assessors through the United States post office, there is no "postmark rule" regarding delivery to local assessors by private delivery service.

LFO 2019-1 Assessing Utility Properties 

Division of Local Services

This LFO examines changes in the law governing the valuation of the personal property assets of utility companies and the resulting change in guidance from the Bureau of Local Assessment (BLA) on the appropriate method of valuation for purposes of local property tax assessment.

LFO 2018-1 Transportation Network Company Per-ride Assessment Distribution 

Division of Local Services

 This Local Finance Opinion (LFO) addresses questions relating to the municipal finance and accounting treatment of moneys distributed to a city, town or district from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Fund. (Uber and Lyft receipts)

IGR 2026-10 Energy Revolving Loan Fund

Division of Local Services

This Informational Guideline Release (IGR) informs local officials about G.L. c. 44, § 53E3/4 which allows cities and towns to establish an Energy Revolving Loan Fund to borrow funds to provide loans to owners of privately held real property in the city or town for energy conservation and renewable energy projects on their private property.