SHELBURNE FALLS — The towns of Buckland and Shelburne are lowering their tax rates for fiscal year 2025. Buckland residents can expect a rate of $16.94 per $1,000 valuation and Shelburne residents will see a rate of $12.84.

Buckland’s rate will be 62 cents less than the FY24 rate of $17.56 per $1,000 valuation, and Shelburne’s rate will be 42 cents less than the FY24 rate of $13.26. The average tax bill for a single-family home will be $5,518 in Buckland and $4,515 in Shelburne.

Shelburne Assistant Assessor Karen Tonelli said she hopes the lower rate will help balance out the increases in property values.

In FY24, the average value of a single-family home in Shelburne was $336,253, making for an average tax bill of $4,459. In neighboring Buckland, the average value of a single-family home in FY24 was $308,806, creating an average tax bill of $5,423.

The selectboards in both Buckland and Shelburne voted to adopt a single tax rate for all residential, commercial and industrial properties, rather than set one rate for residential properties and another rate for commercial and industrial properties.

Buckland Director of Assessing Pamela Guyette said a split tax rate does not make sense for small towns without a large number of businesses. In Buckland, 85% of property is residential, so adopting a different rate for businesses that would be high enough to make a significant difference in residents’ tax payments would place a substantial burden on the small business community in town.

Similarly, in Shelburne, 73% of property is residential.

“For every dollar the commercial/industrial/personal property rate increases, the residential rate only decreases by 36 cents” Tonelli explained.

Both Shelburne and Buckland were able to lower their tax rates for FY25 due to economic growth resulting from the construction of new homes, and renovations to and additions on existing ones. New growth increases the total valuation of property in town that can be taxed, thus increasing the possible tax levy, and also allows the town to split its tax levy among more properties.

Tonelli said much of this year’s growth came from the utility companies that built new power lines in Shelburne. Power line installation also contributed to a lower FY25 tax rate in Ashfield.

According to the state Department of Revenue, Shelburne saw more than $10.4 million in new growth for FY25, which increased the tax levy by $137,962. Meanwhile, Buckland saw more than $3.9 million in new growth, increasing the tax levy by $69,458.

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.