NORTH SMITHFIELD – With the town now up against the state-mandated deadline to set the annual tax roll, Town Administrator Gary Ezovski announced on Wednesday, Aug. 12 that tax bills will be on their way.
The Town Council approved a $46.7 million budget in July, but officials had hoped to get more finite information regarding state and local aid before sending out the bills, with first quarter payments due September 15.
“Now, about six weeks later, federal officials are still debating the details of another stimulus package and the state therefore still is unable to establish a full budget for fiscal 2021,” noted Ezovski in an email. “Despite those continuing unknowns we are required by state law to set our tax roll by August 15 which starts the process for issuance of property tax bills.”
The tax rates will be set at $16.29 per thousand dollars of assessed value rate for residential properties, and $19.38 rate for commercial properties.
Ezovski noted that there was also no decision on how the car tax phase out would be handled in this fiscal year.
“We had hoped to eliminate any chance that there would be need for a change in any part of the budget or the bills, but the time that our national officials are taking to negotiate a stimulus package makes it impossible for us to wait any longer,” he said. “We are now forced to go forward based upon the judgements we have all made to date.”
Ezovski noted that the process for printing the property tax bills is now moving forward and the documents should be in the mail by August 24.
The town is still waiting for state information as it relates to the auto tax phase out, so car tax bills will remain on hold.
“I thank everyone for the patience and for expressing concern about being able to make payments on time,” Ezovski said. “We are very fortunate to be surrounded by such diligence.”
The administrator noted that confirmation and updated paperwork for senior and veteran tax exemptions are due back by the first quarter of calendar 2021. A copy of a DD-214 can be obtained by calling 1-866-272-6272 or logging onto https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records
