Property tax hike

The owner of the average home in town valued at $464,008 will pay an additional $182 in annual property taxes, or a total of $5,526, under the new tax rate set by the Board of Selectmen last week. “The town is still a good bang for the buck. We have to provide the schools and services that people expect,” said board chairman John J. Connolly. The residential rate rose to $11.91 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, while the rate for commercial properties rose from $23.04 to $24.23. The town was the second in the state to set its rate, Connolly said. - Elaine Cushman Carroll