Long-Delayed Tax Bills May Be Sent Next Week

After weeks of delay, Cambridge homeowners may receive their property tax bills within the next 10 days.

State department of revenue officials are expected to set the city's tax rate on the basis of existing property assessments Wednesday or Thursday, acting city manager Robert Healy told the city council last night, and tax bills could then be mailed early next week.

Healy said the tax rate will probably be calculated at about $200 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, a decrease of about $30 from last year's rate due to the effects of Proposition 2 1/2.

City assessors had hoped to complete the state-mandated 100 per cent property reassessment in time for this year's tax bills, but they decided to postpone the process for one year after state officials criticized the initial results of the revaluation effort.

The decision to postpone 100 per cent reassessment will not damage the city's ability to pay off its temporary borrowings, Healy said, because taxpayers have already voluntarily paid Cambridge more than $16 million in tax bills.

The state revenue department approved the city's plan to delay 100 per cent revaluation on Friday, Healy said. In October the state threatened to take the city to court when it distributed estimated tax bills, based on the 100 per cent revaluation, without gaining state approval.

After they receive their tax bills, homeowners will have 30 days to complete payment to the city, Healy said.