As previously stated, I attended the debate on Tuesday night among the Republican primary candidates for the Third Congressional District.  There are five men hoping to run against Jim McGovern.  The debate was friendly–it wasn’t really a forum where you could challenge any claim made by a candidate, but I have learned a few things since then.

One of the candidates, Brian Herr, who has just completed his two-year term as Chief Elected Offical in the Town of Hopkinton, claimed repeatedly to be a fiscal conservative who had not raised taxes in that town.  Well, in the age of google, statements like that can be dangerous.

On November 20, 2008, the Hopkinton Crier posted a story with this headline, “Hopkinton residential property tax rate up $170.”  Maybe I’m missing something here, but that sounds like a tax increase.

The article points out:

“The new rate for fiscal 2009 is $15.03 per $1,000 of assessed value, an increase from the $14.15 used last year. While taxpayers’ first two quarterly bills this fiscal year relied on an estimation, the final two bills will factor in the new rate.

“Although tax bills are going up, the assessed value of the town’s average single-family home fell for the second straight year. From a high of $550,265 in fiscal 2007, it fell to $518,552 in 2008 and to $499,539 this year. Even then, the 2009 value reflects market conditions 10 months ago.

“Still, multiplying the $15.03 rate by $499.54 – derived by taking out the last three digits of the 2009 value – leaves an average bill of $7,508. That’s $170 and 2.3 percent higher than last year’s $7,338 bill.

“The total property tax collection is going up 4.2 percent from last year, reflecting the 2.5 percent increase allowed by Proposition 2 1/2, new growth and Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusions already approved.”

This is another reason I am supporting Marty Lamb as the Republican candidate for the Third Congressional District.