Fiorentini: Home Taxes Would Rise Up to $350 If Taxed at Limit

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini (WHAV News photograph.)

Property taxes for the average homeowner would jump between $225 and $350 if the city were to raise taxes to the maximum allowed by law, Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini contends.

The mayor said the higher amount is double the usual residential tax increase, appearing to attempt to head-off a movement by city councilors and some private groups who have suggested improving schools and reducing crime warrants raising taxes.

“If we taxed to the max…the taxes for the average single family residential taxpayer would go up by about an additional $125 per year, in addition to the yearly increase which is always around $100 to $150 per year,” the mayor said in an email.

“For the past three years, we have been taxing at less than we are allowed to tax. I do this because I recognize that even modest yearly increases are a burden to some,” Fiorentini wrote.

He is asking residents for their opinions in an online survey abut spending and taxes before he submits his budget for the year that begins July 1. The mayor set the tone of his survey by saying the city cannot provide more services without increasing property taxes.

Fiorentini’s survey also asks residents to rank their priorities regarding schools and public education, adding more police, paving and repairing more streets, fixing more sidewalks, improving parks and playgrounds or providing raises for city and school department employees. Alternatively, the mayor asks whether the city should be “holding the line on tax increases,” but also gives his opinion, saying, “I am tired of increases!”

Those who did not receive the survey may email the mayor.

6 thoughts on “Fiorentini: Home Taxes Would Rise Up to $350 If Taxed at Limit

    • Bob…The City of Haverhill and the State of Massachusetts is run completely by liberal Democrats. The political ideology of Democrats is that “government” is the means to solve all of society’s problems. To solve those problems requires spending money that obviously is obtained through taxation. Once a problem is solved Democrats don’t reduce budgets that money was previously used for, they find something new to spend that revenue on.
      It literally is NEVER enough for liberal Democrats.

      The ONLY way to avoid the cycle of increased “taxing and spending” is to not elect Democrats. It really is that simple.

  1. Mayor’s telephone number: 978-374-2300

    I hope everyone sees what the Mayor is doing here….he’s got the nerve to actually pat himself on the back regarding this issue in an attempt to make himself look good because it’s an election year.

    How about if this lying, corrupt mayor answers some questions? Let’s flood his office with phone calls about where the money taxpayers are already pay is going.

    >Where is the $500,000 in savings from the trash toter program going?
    >How much money is being raised by paid parking and where is it going?
    >How much money is being generated by the “intentional ticketing program” the mayor set up downtown?
    >How much money is being generated by the meals tax and where is it going?
    >How much money is being saved by the energy savings programs he promoted and where is it going?

    Here’s the most important issue the mayor needs to publicly answer to…
    In fiscal year 2013 the mayor raised taxes and the city then finished the year with a $3.5MILLION surplus. What happened to that money?? We all know he didn’t return it to the people who paid it. What did he do with it? Because of the way the city formulates its budgets those $3.5Million in expenditures in the 2013 budget which resulted in a surplus were never removed from subsequent fiscal year budgets…which means taxpayers have overpaid $3.5Million EVERY year for the past 5 budgetary years. WHERE IS THAT MONEY?!! The mayor has overcharged taxpayers by $21+Million by not taking those unneeded surplus expenditures out of future budgets. Because of this ripoff scheme the mayor could never raise taxes again and he’d still be overcharging taxpayers by $3.5Million every year!!

  2. If this is the case, then how can Haverhill beg for state funds when it has room left to increase the tax levy ? Yes, that is correct as other cities and towns are taxed to their levy limit and then beg for more state money. Is this a fair way to operate ? Is Haverhill being honest with the state legislators and the governor ? No, not at all. Typically a city or town would not get state monies if they fail to tax their residents up to the tax levy (limit). So one of these days expect not to see nay monies until that happens.

  3. “appearing to attempt to head-off a movement by city councilors and some private groups who have suggested improving schools and reducing crime warrants raising taxes.” –

    Well we all know which group that is right? Haverhill Education Coalition is the very same group that stated on WHAV that they will only be answering pre-selected questions at the meeting/forum taking place at Hunking on April 26.You know, in the name of transparency and to assure that like our own CONgress Member Niki Tsongas, only respond to boiler-plate softball questions.

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