Ask the Assessor

The fact is, no one person actually sets the tax rate.  It results from a simple mathematical calculation that is certified (approved) by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR).

The voters of Holliston play the largest role in creating this calculation when you vote on the town’s operating budget at the Annual Town Meeting each May. The bulk of that budget (after subtracting state aid payments and estimated local permit receipts) is the amount of money to be raised by property taxes.

The Assessors’ Office staff has the second largest role. We value each and every land parcel (whether vacant or built upon) each fiscal year.  The three-member elected Board of Assessors adds to that role by voting to approve the total valuations for each class of property – Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Personal Property.  And, the DOR finishes up by certifying these values.

The three-member elected Select Board plays the third and final role.  Each year, they hold the annual Tax Classification hearing, at which they decide whether to have a single tax rate or a dual tax rate.  Because Holliston has such a small commercial/industrial tax base, the Select Board traditionally sticks to a single tax rate.

This year’s Tax Classification Hearing, by the way, is scheduled to be held by the Select Board at 7:00 PM on Monday, November 24th.

Now, we’ve reached a point where we know the total amount of money that needs to be raised through property taxes (called the “tax levy”) and we know the total value of property in town.  Simply divide the levy by the total value and you get the tax rate.

For example, for the fiscal year that ended on this past June 30th, the tax levy was $59,087,173.79.  The total valuation of  property was $4,033.265,100.  If you divide the first number by the second number, you get 0.0014649.  Multiply that by $1,000 (as in the tax rate per $1,000 of value) and you get $14.649 – which rounds off to $14.65.  That was the Fiscal Year 2025 tax rate.

This process occurs every fiscal year.  So, who sets the tax rate?  We all play a role: Holliston voters, the Assessors’ Office staff, the Board of Assessors, the Select Board and the state Department of Revenue.