Assessing

Mission Statement

Assessors, as required by Massachusetts law, value all the real and personal property within their community. They are responsible for valuing every property, from single-family residences to the largest of commercial and industrial enterprises.

Value Maintenance

Every 5 years, Assessors must submit these values to the State Department of Revenue for certification. Assessors are also responsible for maintaining the values in the years between certifications, this is known as an interim year change. This is done so that each property taxpayer in the community pays his or her share of the cost of local government in proportion to the amount of money the property is worth.

Other Responsibilities

• Assessors are also responsible for the motor vehicle excise tax bills and boat excise bills.
• The Assessors act on all requests for exemption and abatement of taxes.
• The Assessors are the holder of the assessment records, which includes the property record cards and Assessors' maps.